The DMND game
by Gashadokur0
Summary: Magenta Valentine is reincarnated into the world of Remnant with his equivalence of the Gamer ability: with a twist. New characters he never saw before are now peppered all over the story, and his Gamer ability seems to have a place and a story in Remnant as well. (Inspired by several RWBY 'The Gamer' fanfiction, I added some original features to help it be a little more... unique)
1. Start up: The new life

_**The game of DMND**_

" Hey kid, take a seat."

That's all the man in front of my eyes said to me.

I briefly looked around my surroundings to see if I can tell where I was.

It was an old fashioned room, like that one hotel from that Stephen King novel… what was it called again?... It started with a number….

...

...1408. Yeah, that was the one.

I briefly looked out the window. The sky was painted dark blue with the street bustling with people. Street lights were on to complete a picture you'd see commonly in New York. I always thought it was beautiful. Calming.

I finally complied with the man and decided to take the only seat available: a chair positioned right in front of the man's desk.

As I took a seat I began to take note of his features.

White hair and white beard styled to look like stalagmites, his face looked like he was in his mid-40s to early 50s. He had a three-piece suit and a fat cigar in his hand, smoke rising to the ceiling and swiftly getting absorbed into the vent above. His dark purple eyes stared at me intensely. It looked as if gems were jammed in to make the pupils.

No, not gems.

More like galaxies. I thought it was the trick of the lights from the lamp on his desk when I saw small spots of light forming erratically in his eyes.

"So, kid…"

His voice was… gravelly…. Calm… booming…. kinda like a cave.

It was, quite frankly, unsettling.

"You remember anything about yourself before you ended up here?"

The question caught me off guard. Of course, I did. What do I look like, some kind of amnesiac?

….

I didn't remember anything.

I didn't remember what my name was, I didn't remember what I did for a job… did I even have a job? What age was I? Which school did I go to? Did I even go to school? Where were my parents? Who were my parents?

...Now that I actually think about it, where was I?

How did I get here?

I started to panic a little, and the man saw it too.

"Calm down kid, it's okay, it's a natural thing."

Amnesia's natural?

"I… I don't understand. What do you mean it's natural?"

The man looked at me with pity, before taking a puff of his cigar and sighing out the smoke at the ceiling.

"Oh boy, where do I start."

"... What did you do to me?"

The man cleared his throat

"I didn't do anything, kid. What happened to you is… well…"

The man put his hand under his nose as if to ponder what to say.

"... Alright, I'm not going to beat around the bush. You're dead, kid."

….

What?

"Not just you, but everyone in your world died."

I took in what he said, processing his words. And then I chuckled. The chuckle became a short laugh.

"Ok, sir. Way to break the ice. So… tell me, what really happened?"

The man looked at me with a serious expression. I tried to look for any signs on his face that said he was fucking with me.

5 minutes went by, and his face didn't even change a bit.

Either he had a really good poker face, or he was telling the truth.

"I saw out the window, sir. The sky and the street lamps still exist. And most of all sir, people. Still walking and talking like nothing ever happened."

"Look at the people more closely then."

He was trying to pull something on me, I just knew it. I decided to comply just so this whole prank to get over as soon as possible. I looked more closely at the people passing the streets and instantly recoiled away from the window. I managed to stumble and fall on my rear in shock.

Those weren't people.

They… They had silhouettes resembling humans, yes, but….. any detail they had instantly betrayed the belief that they are one.

I sat on the floor, frozen, for about a good minute. I tried to process what I saw and managed to bring myself out of my stupor.

"What is this Cthulhu bullshit!? What are they!? Where am I!?"

The man simply looked at me, before opening his mouth.

"Simply put? You're not on Earth. You're not anywhere near Earth, for that matter. Consider this-" he waved his hand to gesture at the room "-as the afterlife."

He let that fully sink in me before he continued

"You don't remember your past life because you went through the entire process of reincarnation. You know, the whole weighing of the soul and being judged, judging whether you gained enough good or bad karma to be reincarnated into a human, an animal, evil spirits or even as a god."

He tapped at his desk, and soon a file and few papers appeared on his desk.

"So those are-"

"Souls? Not quite. They are spirits, but they weren't human in the first place. Some are Yaksas, some are demons, some are angels. You get the drift. But enough about them-" he gestured to the seat I had taken. "Take a seat so we can talk about _you_."

I quietly complied, scrambling to my legs and stumbling back to the chair.

"I understand that you are quite… Distraught about the whole situation. But I assure you, the faster this ends, the better it is for you."

I absentmindedly nodded. He opened the file and started to read what was in it.

"First off I would like to congratulate you on a well done. You managed to live a full-filling, albeit quite short, life. You accumulated enough good karma to reincarnate into a human, instead of reincarnating as an Asura, or as a preta. Or worse-" he looked up to stare at me. "Reincarnate in the purgatory and get tortured on the grounds of punishment for your sins."

I felt a shiver down my spine as he told me this.

"Although you had some…. Minor outbursts when you came in here-" he looked to the window "-it is perfectly understandable as to why. It is normal for you to panic in this situation, and in fact, is taking all this in quite well. In comparison to my previous… clients."

He slightly coughed into his hands before continuing.

"So, with very noticeable good deeds and relatively good behavior, along with the fact that you had died a very unnatural death."

Pardon? I thought. Unnatural?

"Yes, unnatural. You… and a lot of people in your world weren't supposed to die yet."

I was shocked at both his ability to read me like a book and at the revelation he gave me.

" I would like to make up for it with a gift. You get to choose which world you want to reincarnate in, and you will get a special ability."

It took a few moments for his words to reach my brain.

"Any world?"

"You name it. It can even be from books, movies, and even those an-ee-mae bullshit. Oh, and while the memories of your past life won't be available to you, every other memories or knowledge? Free game."

I… I had to think about this, which was already hard to do because I was trying to get used to the fact that I was dead. Then a question came into my mind.

"But.. won't me knowing their fate to be… counterproductive to you?"

"Very good question. The answer is yes, but I don't give a shit."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Look, kid, the space-time is a bitch. I don't know why it made itself as a multiverse, but because it did, that means I need to meet the same person every fucking minute and make sure they reincarnate in different universes. While the world you saw as fiction may be the depiction of the most major decisions that happened in the multiverse, that ultimately doesn't mean everything is the same."

I tried to understand what he said, and it took a minute or two to get that fully in my head. The man continued

"So kid, what does that mean? You being dropped at some point in time will change the future, but while time is a single string it isn't unchanging. In fact, the future branches into new multiverse so much your addition and interference won't mean Jack shit. I'll still see a million of those dead characters in my office, just not the ones you saved in your timeline. So go wild kid, extend some lives or end them prematurely. You won't get punished."

I felt somewhat relieved by his words. I guess now would be a good time to decide which world to reborn in.

Final fantasy was very enticing, enticing enough to make it to my top 5. But I decided to think more carefully before making a choice I would regret.

JoJo's bizarre adventure was very enticing as well, but… that didn't mean I would automatically be reborn as a stand user.

Hunter X Hunter….. well… while the concept of Nen and aura was very amazing to see, I didn't think I would enjoy living there. Who knew how I quickly I would die.

Wait…. Nen…. Aura…. There…. There was a world like that… but… more… more tame, more… more fun to live in….

"So, you have a world in mind?"

"Yeah… actually, yeah. I do."

"Alright-" he slid a paper and pen to me. "Fill in the form and let's see what you chose."

The form was nearly blank. All it had was a blank box titled 'World:'. I wrote down the world I wanted to go into, and more entries started to fade into the paper as I finished. I stared in surprise for a good while before continuing. By the time I finished the form was filled.

_**World (You may fill the name of the fiction you wish to reincarnate in instead)**__**: **_RWBY

_**Name:**_ Magenta Valentine

_**Gender:**_ M[✓] F[ ] Other[ ]:_

_**Race**_: Human[✓] Faunus[ ] Grimm [ ]

_Optional: __**Place of birth (if left blank, you will be born in a random area in the world):**_ Patch

I handed the form back to the man. He looked at the paper over.

"Aaahh… not bad. It actually goes well with the special ability you'll be gifted with. So, before we officialize this and you get reborn in Remnant, do you have any questions?"

I perked up at the offer and immediately asked what I had in my mind.

"How…. How did I die? How did everyone else die?"

"... Your world ended."

I knew this was the case but it hit me like a truck nevertheless.

"... How?"

"... Well…. Let's just say that a gay black priest followed his vampire boyfriend's diary, sped up time but ended up causing a mutually assured destruction on a universal scale. Guess that happens when you don't know how space-time really works. Dumb shits."

Wait.

"You meant to tell me Enrico Pucci killed me with Made in Heaven?"

"No."

I looked at him in confusion

"Enrico Pucci killed _everyone_, himself included, with Made in Heaven. Only a few multiverses actually got what he wanted."

Ah…

Wait, that meant I was already living in a world of JoJo's bizarre adventure…

…

I feel like my past life became underwhelming on another level.

"Oh, don't worry. You were a stand user as well. Got the full package in the world."

Wait, excuse me?

"You were a pretty damn good one too. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here."

Oh.

"... What… what was my stand?"

The man looked up, pretty conflicted as to whether he should tell me or not.

"... I'm afraid I cannot tell you that, I'm already pushing the policy by telling you that you were a stand user."

"Understandable."

With that cleared out of the way, there was only one more question that came to my mind.

"And… who would you be?"

The man smiled

"Ain't that the million-dollar question here. Simply said, I am Ahura Mazda, the first God to have ever existed. You… can just call me Abel, if you want to. I wasn't Adam's child though, so don't mix me up with him."

Oh, the Persian God.

"That…. That would be all, sir… thank you.."

"Glad I could help. Now-" the form he had in his hand burst into magenta flames. "The form has been filled, the deal has been set, and all you have to do to start, is to picture what you want to look like, and go through that door."

He gestured to the only door that existed in this room. I simply sat up, offered a hand (Ahura Mazda simply smiled and shook it. His grip was surprisingly firm but soft at the same time) and walked to the door, taking a deep breath before gripping the doorknob.

"Be sure not to cause too much trouble now, ok?"

I looked back at the God and smiled, before opening the door and taking a step outside the room, into the corridors that were lined with doors on both side of the walls. The doors had next to no space between them, making me wonder how the rooms were even this spacious. It reminded me of The Shining.

...

...

Everything became dark and deathly quiet

* * *

My consciousness returned and all I could do was cry.

Not out of sadness or fear, but simply due to a base desire to. I didn't understand why until I became a bit more aware of my body. I couldn't move my limbs as well as I should've, but I realized why.

"Congratulations!" An unknown voice of a woman said. "It's a healthy and beautiful baby boy!"

I was an infant.

I felt myself being passed off into another hand as I slowly opened my eyes. I saw a man with silver hair and golden eyes, leaking tears, smiling at me.

"My God, he got my eyes, and he got your hair, darling." That's all he could muster out of his mouth.

I slowly looked around the room. I saw my mother, covered in sweat and tears. Her pink hair flowing in waves, her sapphire eyes looking at me with joy, smiling as if she saw a miracle.

What caught my attention the most was not my mother, my father, or the nurse. It was a translucent screen floating in front of my eyes, like a slab of cyan tinted glass.

_**Welcome Magenta Valentine, to the Akashic Record Lite, and to your new world!**_

_**Introduction: The Akashic Record is a program for celestial beings (Ie. Gods, Daemons, Angels, etc) to develop power and grow!**_

_**You have been gifted a more simplified and restricted version by Ahura Mazda for your stay in the world of Remnant!**_

_**Akashic Record Lite will be able to use the boundless information of the universe from the main server to help you enjoy your stay in the world of Remnant!**_

_**Controls: Because it's painstakingly clear that randomly shouting out commands will make one think you're crazy, all you'll need to do is think of the command clearly in your head.**_

_**The currently available controls are:**_

_**Help**_

_**Settings**_

_**Stats**_

_**Inventory**_

_**Mantra**_

_**Equipment**_

_**Goals**_

_**Compendium**_

_**Message**_

_**You have a new goal!**_

_**Current objective: Survive**_

Well shit.

_**After taking some time getting used to your new life, and body, you'll be setting your new stats to how you see fit!**_

_**For now, settle in!**_

"Look at him staring, dear!" My father exclaimed.

"You have so many things to look forward to!"

I couldn't agree more.

I felt my eyes close, and my breathing become steady as I fell into a deep sleep once more.

* * *

By the time I became aware of my surroundings I realized that a year had already passed. I was now living in my new home as I stared into the cyan screens in front of me.

_**Stats**__**:**_

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**Age: 12 months**_

_**Title: [None]**_

_**Level: 1**_

_**Hp: 200/200**_

_**Aura: [Locked]**_

_**Vajra: [Locked]**_

_**Str: 10**_

_**Vit: 10**_

_**Dex:10**_

_**Mnt: 10**_

_**Int: 25**_

_**Wis: 25**_

_**Chr: 10**_

_**Your stats may not look very impressive, but don't worry! You're only 12 months old, you'll improve in no time! You can raise your stats either through simply training and pushing yourself to the limit, or by allocating the points you get from leveling up! **_

_**Just a friendly reminder, while the Akashic Record Lite has been configured to act like a game for your sake, you must understand that you are not playing, or in fact living in, a 'game' or a 'fiction'.**_

_**This is 'reality'. **_

_**You only have one chance, and certain events will **__**not**__** be the same as the show. **_

_**Be sharp, be tough, be strong, be smart. Take care!**_

That was expected, but…. Concerning nonetheless. It meant that the show was no longer a stable, reliable source of information for what's to come. On the bright side, this may mean that characters like Pyrhha or Penny may survive the ordeal of volume 3. However, on the opposite side of the coin…

…

I'm quite scared to imagine the possibilities.

All I could do now is strengthen myself for what could happen in this world.

...

But not now, I'm afraid. As far as I can see I'm a bit too young to do anything other than think and learn.

…

Maybe I'll do just that.

And I can confidently say that I should familiarize myself with the Akashic Record Lite before anything.

I looked over the other controls. All of them were pretty much explanatory, except for the Mantra tab.

Normally one has the tab as 'Skill', or 'Magic'. If I remember correctly, Mantras were simply prayers, sacred utterings of the Sanskrit alphabet.

As soon as I decided to tap on the 'Mantra' tab, two windows appeared. One big and one small.

The big window simply had the word 'Mantra' written in an eloquent font at the top of the window, but that was about it. The rest of the translucent screen was blank.

The smaller slab of glass was the more important one. It explained to me about their definition of Mantra.

_**Welcome!**_

_**As a none-celestial being, you may be wondering what our definition of Mantra, and by association Vajra, is. **_

_**Mantra: Simply put, Mantra is considered the power of the gods, a program that uses and reads Vajra to perform tasks that range from mundane, to reality-bending. In layman's term, it's equivalent to 'skills' and 'magic' in RPG games.**_

_**Vajra: Vajra is the spiritual energy of the universe, holding the data of our very existence. By harnessing Vajra, we can use the spiritual energy as fuel, and the 'data' within it to 'code' programs to perform feats many would see as magic. This is called 'Mantra', as explained before. In layman's term, this is 'Mana'.**_

_**People of Remnant have very limited control over Vajra. In fact, that can only use the Vajra from their souls, in the form of 'Aura'. What little 'Mantra' they can form has become widely known throughout Remnant is called 'Semblance'.**_

_**The 'Vajra' of your soul will be classified separately as 'Aura', while the amount of Vajra you can hold that isn't from your soul will be separately categorized as 'Vajra'. Think of the Vajra bar (which is currently locked due to your inability to use Mantra, let alone your own aura) as an MP bar in a standard Rpg**_

_**You may be able to subconsciously develop Mantras (Ie. Danger sense, Observe, Weapon masteries, etc). Once you unlock your Aura, you'll be able to create your own Mantra which, until you unlock your ability to absorb and control the Vajra in the atmosphere, will be heavily restricted and limited to what you can do. After all, without assistance from the Vajra of the world, some Mantras are too powerful to handle with the Vajra of the human soul alone.**_

Well…. That is certainly intriguing.

In fact, this is downright interesting.

If I can unlock my Aura, that means I can create my own semblance.

…. Hell, I can create more than one semblance.

…

This was starting to become more like nen from Hunter X Hunter.

I wonder if some of the aura techniques they used can be applied to the world of RWBY?

Well, I guess all I can do is simply learn and practice.

* * *

"Look at our boy, he's so adorable looking all over the place!"

"I wonder what he's trying to find?"

_**You have created a new Mantra: Observe!**_

_**Your Mantra: Observe has leveled up to Level 2!**_

Hmm… It seems like staring at something long enough, with the desire to know what it was, did the trick.

Observe, painstakingly obvious in its name, allowed me to gain information about the object, or individual, I was looking at.

Which brought this to my attention.

_**Orchid Valentine**_

_**Age: 28**_

_**Title: Father of Magenta Valentine; Dancer of the Rotting Valley**_

_**Lv: ? (Observe level too low!)**_

_**Lily Nightingale**_

_**Age: 28**_

_**Title: Mother of Magenta Valentine; Vanguard of the Atlesian Fort**_

_**Lv: ? (Observe level too low!)**_

To be quite honest I understood that, as a baby, I didn't have much skills and experience in the first place to have access to every information around me.

But Jesus fucking Christ, those titles were intimidating.

…

I wonder what else I can do?


	2. Kindred Souls, Familiar Faces

Chapter 2: Kindred souls, familiar faces.

A gentle voice started to boom in the household.

"Magenta! Come down so you can have dinner soon!"

"Coming mom!"

I quickly ran down the stairs and to the table, motivated by the smell of mother's cooking.

6 Years have passed since I was reincarnated in Remnant. I decided to make most of those 6 years, reading books (unfortunately limited to picture books and fairytales that had to be read by my parents. It did progress my intelligence and wisdom, albeit only a little bit), meditating to try and hasten the period in which my aura will be unlocked (devolving into simple 4-hour naps and gaining nothing), and training my body (which was only achieved through the years by running around the back yard like a baby on a sugar high. I managed to gain a bit of Dex and Vit from running for a long time…. And falling every 6 minutes or so. I swear the body of a toddler has no sense of balance).

Alas, all I could achieve was simply being a toddler that was only a little bit harder, better, faster, stronger than the rest of my peers.

I was pretty content with my superiority, though.

Hell, I was pretty content with everything for the past 6 years. The loss of my past memories certainly allowed me to enjoy my new life unrestrained.

…

Was that weird? Not being bothered by the awareness of my past life, yet having no way to actually remember it?

I guess I accepted my past life was in the…. Well, 'past'. Especially so when I decided to sign that form to be reincarnated.

I guess I decided that moving forward was the best decision.

To be quite honest, it was the only decision. Hell, now that I think about it, I was lucky that Mr. Abel gave me a choice in the matter.

…

Was I moving on too quickly though?

…

I don't think so. Otherwise, Mr. Abel wouldn't have been giving me that form and sending me here.

…

Mr. Abel did say that I used to be a stand user. Maybe I just got a strong will to move on.

_**Congratulations!**_

_**The knowledge that you were once a stand-user, added to your strong will passing over to your new life, have created a synergy to develop a new Mantra!**_

_**Mantra: Ougon no Seishin**_

_**Level: 5**_

_-"I'm not just after the result. When all you want is a result, you start taking shortcuts. You might lose sight of the truth. You'll become less motivated. I think the most important thing is the will to find the truth. As long as you have that, even if the suspect gets away this time, you'll get them eventually, right? Because that's what you're after. Don't you think so?" - Nameless Cop._

_**Effect: You may not have a golden heart yet, but you have inherited something of equal strength and importance from your previous friends and families: A golden will.**_

_**Fear resistance: 50%**_

_**Insanity resistance: 50%**_

_**Pain resistance: 50%**_

_**+30% to Int and Wis**_

_**Increased control over your own soul (Vajra + Aura)**_

_**You have gained the 'effects' of 'Determination': So long as you are motivated, you have the strength to **__**「**__**STAND**__**」 **__**up and fight after taking hits after hits.**_

_**[Locked: Ougon no Seishin's level is too low!]**_

_**[Locked: You have yet to have unlocked your control over Aura!]**_

_**[Locked: You have yet to have unlocked your control over Vajra!]**_

Oh.

My God.

What the fuck did I do in my past life? Who did I kill? Who did I save?

…

Was I part of the Passione gang or something?

This shit was higher than my 'Observe' Mantra!

By 2 levels!

Who was I, to unlock a Mantra about souls and wills that started at level 5!

….

I mean, Mr. Abel did say I was a pretty damn good Stand user.

….

…. Will able to reawaken my stand?

I mean, even without the stand arrow, I could try.

In fact, I remember notable characters simply gaining their stands naturally.

Like… Noriaki Kakyoin, Muhammad Avdol, Jeane Pierre Polnareff, Tonio Trussardi.

….

Could I really?

Would Mr. Abel allow it?

….

God, this is actually driving me insane.

"... Sweetie…"

Hm?

"... Sweatie? Are you ok?"

I turned to look at my parents, realizing they were talking to me.

Both had a bit of a worried expression, and I realized I had been looking at them with a blank expression, with an open mouth.

…

I simply shrugged.

My father turned to my mother and whispered.

"Honey, do you think something's wrong with Magenta?"

Oh, the contrary father. At this point in life, nothing _can_ go wrong.

Mother looked at me for a few seconds, before turning back to Father

"I'm sure he's just daydreaming again, dear. I mean, he doesn't look tired."

"But what if there's really something going on, and we're just passing it off as something as something mundane?"

"... I'll try to see if what our boy's showing is a symptom of something. For now, have faith that our child is fine."

Oh Mother, It is a symptom of something. A symptom of something more than fine

A symptom of something truly amazing and…. Dare I say it

_**「**__**Bizzare**__**」**_

….

But that's a story for another time.

In the past 6 years, I have experienced, I learned more about my parents than I realized at first.

My mother was the tougher one of the pair. Headstrong, confident, and dare I say it to the face of my mother, tomboyish and a bit flirty to my father.

Didn't mean she was gentle and caring. Hell, she was one hell of a cook.

Took care of me like I was a precious artifact made of glass.

I guess I was something much more valuable to her than that, though.

On the flip side of the coin, Father was calm and versatile. He cleaned, he sewed, he built my tricycle, he built my slide, as well as the fences. He was just as confident as my mother, and other than his skill in cooking, he was just a superhuman.

One time, when the kitchen burst into flames due to a faulty fire dust, I saw my father take care of it without a hint of panic or fear.

….

That is, until he found out I was simply sitting on the counter as everything around me burnt to ashes and dust.

Father seems to have had a minor heart attack when he realized my predicament. Mother didn't look better either. In fact, I'd bet a few Lien to say that my mother looked absolutely dreadful and guilt-ridden.

For the next 2 years, Both of my parents exerted every ounce of their will in trying to keep me in their arms (father especially).

…

It did help me increase my Str, Vit, and Dex while I was struggling free.

….

I'm sorry for scaring you like that, Mother. Father.

"Magenta?"

I turned to look at my mother.

"What do you think about going outside without Mom and Dad tomorrow afternoon? We could go to the mall and park!"

I was already interested in the idea, but my father decided to add an incentive.

"And, well….. I think I might buy you that Grimm Rider Web toy you wanted, since you have been behaving well."

Now that motivation was unneeded, but not unwanted.

…

Speaking of motivation…..

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**Age: 6**_

_**Title: [None]**_

_**Level: 1**_

_**Hp: 230/230**_

_**Aura: [Locked]**_

_**Vajra: [Locked]**_

_**Str: 18**_

_**Vit: 16**_

_**Dex: 18**_

_**Mnt: 10**_

_**Int: 36 (28 + 30%)**_

_**Wis: 36 (28 + 30%)**_

_**Chr: 11**_

Those improvements, made every limit of my toddler body that I pushed, worth it.

I mean, look at those Int and Wis, and keep in mind that I was only 6.

…..

….This was some Stewie Griffin levels of bullshit.

…..

...Guess I'm just mature for my age.

* * *

Suffice to say, that very afternoon was an immensely memorable afternoon.

...

And not because of the Grimm Rider: Web Toy.

"Ugh!"

It all happened when I was walking around the mall with my parents, when I suddenly felt my back being struck by something soft. I heard the groan behind me as I stumbled, but managed to stay on my feet.

I turned back to see myself surprised by who the instigator was.

_**Ruby Rose**_

_**Age: 4**_

_**Title: Little-Silver Eyes**_

_**Level: 1**_

_**Hp: 200/200**_

_**Aura: [Locked]**_

_**Vajra: [Locked]**_

_**Str: 8**_

_**Vit: 10**_

_**Dex: 18**_

_**Mnt: 2**_

_**Int: 15**_

_**Wis: 15**_

_**Chr: 14**_

Ruby Rose, the chosen child to lead the fight against Salem.

Leader of team RWBY

The _**「**__**Grimm Reaper**__**」**_

…..

Sprawled on the floor, stomach down.

I was quite…. taken aback with this.

….

I guess even a king was a Toddler when he was born

"... are you ok?"

The girl quickly got up from the floor, cheeks red with embarrassment

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm… I'm fine"

She seemed to have found the ground more interesting, as she never took her eyes off the floor after being… sprawled across it.

"... sorry…. I should've looked where I was going."

She quickly looked up, but I saw her face darken when she saw my blank expression.

I guess she thought I didn't look at her with very high regard.

"Don't worry. Mistakes happen to everyone."

Ruby's complexion brightened a bit after hearing my easy forgiving. I snickered a bit

"Though I am more worried about you. I wasn't the one that rebounded onto the ground."

Her face reddened once more. Quite frankly, my pride would've made my face red as well if I was in her shoes.

My father crouched down to whisper in my ear

"Come now Magenta, that's no way to talk to a lady."

"Sorry, dad."

I reached out my hand to Ruby.

"Magenta Valentine. Nice to meet you."

Ruby's smile grew as she accepted my hand without hesitation.

"Ruby Rose! Pleasure to meet you!"

I saw her look at my waist, and I saw her eyes sparkle.

"IS THAT THE GRIMM RIDER WEB BELT!?"

My eyes widened as I looked back at my toy, then back at her.

"You know of it?"

"KNOW OF IT!? I'M A FAN OF IT! ME AND YANG WATCH IT EVERY SUNDAY MORNING!"

She took a deep breath and she started to blush pink.

I myself was taken aback by how loud she could be.

"Y-Yang's my sister… sorry for the outburst..."

I smirked a bit.

I opened my

"... WHAT?"

"Hmm?"

"... I didn't hear that, what did you say?"

I went closer to hear, putting my hand near my ear to mimic the act of trying to strain my hearing.

Ruby looked scared at my sudden act of disability

"Oh no, I made him deaf!"

I chuckled at her

"Nah, I was just messing with y'ah."

My dad promptly gave me a light chop over my head. Not enough to hurt, but just enough to tell me that messing with a girl 2 years younger than me wasn't the best idea.

Not in front of him, at least.

"Which Grimm Rider is your favorite? As you can see, mine's Web"

I displayed my belt, full view, with pride.

Ruby snickered

"Isn't he a villain?"

"Atatata, anti-hero."

Ruby looked at me with confusion

"What's the difference"

"A villain is someone who's evil. An anti-hero is someone who's not like a standard hero: like, they may be good…. But not nice, or they may be a hero, but they're not…. Good."

"Then won't they be evil, if they aren't good?"

"No, not being good and being evil may be similar, but not the same."

"Then what's the difference between not being good and being evil?"

"Not being good means just that: not being good. You could be a guy that-

_-I beat the crap out of people, more than I have to. Some are even still in the hospital. I've had idiot teachers who like to talk big, so I taught them a lesson, and they never came back to class. If I go to a restaurant and the food's bad, I make it a policy to stiff 'em with the bill.-_

-... Is like a bully. You know, pick fights, don't listen to your parents….. Stealing."

"I don't know, that sounds pretty evil to me."

I started seeing static around my eyes, and for the briefest moment saw that I was in another place. Ruby wasn't in my sight.

I saw that it was a Japanese School infirmary, Kakyoin Noriaki in front of me, holding his wooden puppet.

I quickly turned to look to my right. Kujo Jotaro was bleeding from his limbs.

Still _**「**__**Standing**__**」**_

I saw myself not looking any better. Few bits of emeralds were embedded in my arms.

I heard Jotaro shout.

_But, even a bastard like me... can spot true evil when he sees it! True evil are those who use the weak for their own gain, and crush them underfoot when they're through! Especially an innocent woman! And that is exactly what you've done, isn't it!? And your Stand gets to hide from the victim, the law, and the consequences! That's why... I will judge you myself!_

Then Jotaro turned to me

Ⓐ𝔰𝒹𝐊𝕍_ј𝔲αv ⓞ𝔸𝓎ùⒼØᖇ, are you just gonna__**「**__**stand**__**」 **__there like a bitch and take this!?_

Before I could even react, words were already coming out of my mouth

_Hell no! I don't know what these things beside us are, but if they're the only way to stop any more people getting hurt, then I'm not afraid to use this, or die trying!_

I saw Jotaro's lips stretching thin, curving at the corner of his mouth. He brought out Star Platinum once more, and I brought out…

… Brought out what?

Who?

Kakyoin started to fire the emerald splash at us.

"... genta?"

Hmm?

"Magenta, you ok there?"

I saw myself back at the mall, Ruby started to look worried

"Oh my god, I really did hit him that badly!"

"No, I'm fine. Sorry, I was just… daydreaming."

"Oh, thank goodness…"

"But… as I was saying…. Evil is something completely different. Evil is those that use people that are too weak to stand up for themselves, who discard them like they're not even people after they're done. Not like a bully, no. On a much worse scale. Like Grimms, who do nothing but tear away at the innocent."

Ruby looked like she was suddenly taken aback. I felt my face hurt a bit and realized I was tensing and frowning.

"Oh…. I think I get what you're saying ..."

I tried to relax my face muscles.

"... At least that's what I like to believe evil is. To be quite honest? To each their own."

Ruby smiled

"I think I like your explanation more."

I smiled, and looked to the corner of my eyes

I saw my mother smiling at me.

But I could tell that both of my parents were deeply concerned about me.

…..

It's definitely the speech I just made.

I doubt a 6-year-old would know anything like this, right?

….

I mean…. Maybe they did in superhero shows?

Let's just hope they think so too.

But to a much more concerning subject….

…. I think what I saw was….

…. A memory of my past self…

…. But…. why?

I'm sure Mr. Abel wouldn't have let something faulty like this through…

…..

….. Right?

"Ruby!"

I heard a voice in the distance calling for the girl

Ruby looked around and started jumping.

"YANG! MOM! UNCLE!"

Hearing her shout, I naturally looked over her shoulder to see.

I guess Qrow came as well.

In the distance, I saw 3 people running over.

There was Yang, with shoulder-length gold wavy hair.

Summer Rose, in normal civilian clothing

And the person next to her was…..

…..

…

That wasn't Qrow.

"Ruby!"

They all shouted once more. My parents took notice of the individuals and their eyes widened.

"Summer, Vienna!?"

Vienna?

"Orchid, Lily?"

Both adults from Ruby's family exclaimed

I didn't know our Parents knew them.

I took the moment to 'Observe' this new individual.

_**Vienna Rose**_

_**Age: 28**_

_**Title: Brother of Summer Rose, The Thorns of the Family**_

_**Level: ? (Observe level too low!)**_

Yang ran to her sister first

"I told you not to run off like that! We were worried!"

"Sorry about that….."

Yang then looked at me.

"Who's the guy with the pink hair and blank expression?"

"Oh! This is Magenta, I… ran into him while I was running and…. Well, I guess we're friends….?"

She turned to look at me expectantly. She looked like she was hoping I'd say yes.

I smiled

"I would certainly hope we were, after all that commotion and talking."

I saw Ruby smile widely

But before Ruby could introduce Yang, Yang spoke first.

"I'm Yang, Ruby's sister! Nice to meet you Magenta!"

She extended her hands towards me, and I gladly took it.

"Nice to meet you too."

Yang looked at my waist as well, noticing the metallic-plastic toy

"Whoah, isn't that the Grimm Rider Web Belt?"

"It sure is!"

"Isn't he the Villain?"

….

* * *

_**Yang Xiao Long**_

_**Age: 6**_

_**Title: The little rising sun**_

_**Level: 1**_

_**Hp: 220/220**_

_**Aura: [Locked]**_

_**Vajra: [Locked]**_

_**Str: 18**_

_**Vit: 14**_

_**Dex: 12**_

_**Mnt: 2**_

_**Int: 15**_

_**Wis: 10**_

_**Chr: 16**_

"... At least that's what I like to believe evil is. To be quite honest? To each their own."

"You're wise beyond your years, aren't you?"

I simply shrugged at Yang's remark.

My Parents, all too happy to meet Summer and Vienna, decided to take us to the park. The adults decided to catch up with each other while keeping an eye on us.

Turns out, Vienna Rose was their teammate, forming the rival Team of Team STRQ, named Team OLIV.

I guess their dynamics were like RWBY and JNPR.

"So yeah, I'm gonna have to go with Grimm Rider Rose as my favorite"

"Bit too obvious there, RWBY"

"... Is it really?"

Yang and I snickered.

"Well, my favorite is none other than Grimm Rider: Blaze! Tough, strong, and definitely got the strongest punch of Remnant!"

"... Didn't he die in Episode 16?"

Yang froze in a pose, and slowly looked at me.

"... What?"

"... Didn't you watch last Sunday's episode?"

Ruby was the one that answered

"... We all went on a family trip, so….."

"... Oh, boy…."

I saw Yang's eyes turning red.

Oh, so that wasn't a semblance.

It was like those Kurta tribe thingies in Hunter x Hunter

"... Did you spoil something for us…."

"... I would like to say no."

She slowly raised her fists

"I'm giving you 3 seconds."

"Give me 5."

_**Your constant running, coupled with the need to go faster than normal, allowed you to create a new Mantra!**_

_**Mantra: Dash**_

_**Level: 1**_

_-"I have one last card in my sleeve. I saved this one for last. Look at his legs. They were blown to smithereens and haven't healed yet. I'll use my own leg!_

_NIGERUNDAYOOOOO, SMOOOKEEEY!" - Joseph Joestar, the cheater of Death and Fate._

_**Effect:**_

_**Increase movement speed by 30% for 10 seconds**_

_**Debuff in movement speed by 30% for 30 seconds after 10 seconds.**_

_**Cooldown: 2 hours.**_

"COME BACK HERE, YOU PINK HAIRED CLOWN!"

"WHO YOU CALLING A CLOWN!? YOU TOLD ME YOURSELF THAT YOU WERE A FAN OF IT, SO I THOUGHT YOU WATCHED ALL THE EPISODES!"

"EXCUSES!"

_**Congratulations!**_

_**It seems that, through sheer luck (or careful planning), you managed to meet and befriend Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long!**_

_**This friendship will go far. Very far. And who knows, they're people too! Maybe you guys will get closer than you can expect right now.**_

_**Although right now, survival seems to be the current objective if you're keen on seeing where this friendship takes you.**_


	3. Awakening

Chapter 3: Kakusei (Awakening)

It all happened when I was 8.

"LILY! LILY! GET THE CAMERA!"

"What's the matter?"

"IT'S MAGENTA!"

I heard the floor shake as my mother ran into the living room.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH MAGENTA!? WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM!?"

…..

So, thanks to the addition of the 'Ougon no Seishin' Mantra, I decided to focus more on trying to meditate and unlock my aura.

Hunter X Hunter style.

…..

I mean, how else was I supposed to do it? Ask my dad at the age of 6~8?

Pfffffffffft.

I mean, I got the 'Ougon no Seishin' Mantra, which gave me an increased control over 'Aura' and 'Vajra'.

And so….

… Lo and behold…

"... oh my god…."

At the age of 8, thanks to having a mind of a pretty experienced individual….

…..

I 「**unlocked**」 my 「**aura**」.

* * *

"... You unlocked _**what!?**_"

Ruby, Yang and I were hanging around near the cliff, in front of the Rose/Xiao Long's estate.

Both of them were surprised by my nonchalant revelation.

"You're screwing with us."

I looked at Yang, who was believing that my exclamation was false.

"Nuh-uh. Look-" I immediately flared up my aura: Going from Pink to Magenta, like a wave of gradient. "-See?"

Yang ended up slack-jawed at my display. Ruby, on the other hand, was all starry eyed.

"Woooow! So-so-so-so you're like a full fledged Huntsman now! Like Mom, and Dad, and Uncle Qrow, and Uncle Vienna!"

I snickered at her comment.

"Not really, Ruby. Having aura doesn't automatically make you a Hunter."

"... It doesn't?"

"It doesn't."

"... Then….. What does?"

"... You're asking me?"

"You're smart. Smarter than us, at least."

"I mean…. I don't know 'everything', but ..."

I started to scratch the back of my head in thought.

"I guess, there's three 「important」 aspects to be considered a huntsman."

"Three… aspects?"

"Yeah, three aspects."

"What are they?"

"1-" I held up my right index finger. "- is skill. You need to learn how to be strong, how to be fast, how to fight. It's a no-brainer."

Ruby nodded at my explanation without difficulty.

"2-" I now help up my middle finger along with my index finger. "- is wits."

"Wits?"

"Wits. You need to learn to think quickly, gather information, make choices, make plans. In other words, you need to be smart. These two aspects combined already make a person formidable. However, without the 3rd aspect, I don't think they'll be considered a huntsman, or huntress, or hunter."

Ruby was getting absorbed by my words. She was intrigued.

"... what's the third one?"

She asked in a whisper.

"Will."

Ruby looked at me with clear confusion.

"Will?"

"Yeah, Will. Heart, Courage, Determination. Call it whatever you like, it means the same thing in this case."

"Why Will?"

"... Ruby. Why do you like Hunters?"

Ruby stood up, ready to speak as if her words were going to be a sermon

"Because of heroes in the fairy tales, heroes like my mom! Because they save people from the evil Grimm and keep them safe! I want to be like them, Magenta! I want to be like my mom! I want to make this world a happy place like those fairy tales! I want to make this world a better place!"

After her small speech, she stood there, hands on her waist and puffing out her chest in pride.

"...Ruby."

"Hmmm?"

"Those 「Heroes」 you speak of. Do you think they have no 「fear」?"

She looked at me like I was saying something stupid

"Of course they don't! They're heroes! They're fearless!"

"... Your wrong Ruby."

Ruby frowned at me, wondering what I was trying to say.

"Ruby. Do you know what a「flea」 is?"

Ruby seems to ponder on my question, hand on her chin and humming, before answering.

"It's those icky bugs that keep getting stuck on Zwei. Uncle Vienna is scared of them."

She snickered.

"He's always sweating bullets whenever he sees one."

"Ruby. Those 「fleas」 are insects that latch onto animals bigger than them. Several times bigger, and suck on their blood."

Ruby recoiled at my words.

"That's what they do!? Now I see why Uncle Vienna is scared of them….. Poor Zwei…"

"Ruby. These 「fleas」 latch onto beasts and humans that tower over them, challenging their status without a single thought to their own safety. Would you consider these 「fleas」 to be 「brave」?"

"... I guess so?"

"No, you're wrong Ruby. They aren't 「brave」, because they have no 「fear」!"

Ruby tilted her head in confusion.

"It's 「hunger」 that convinces them to challenge those beasts! It's not 「bravery」, it is 「foolishness」 on an instinctual level!"

Despite the quite…. Difficult vocabularies for an 8 year old, much less a 6 year old, she seemed to have understood what I was saying.

"Oooooh…"

"Ruby. What is 「bravery」? 「Bravery」 isn't having no 「fear」, 「bravery」 is knowing 「fear」! It's knowing 「fear」, and despite having 「fear」, they challenge that 「fear」! They challenge it because it's what they have to do!"

I pointed at Ruby with a passion. She flinched as I did so.

"The 「heroes」 you look up to…. Even your mother! They know 「fear」, they have 「fear」! But even then, they still fight for humanity anyway, they didn't run from that 「fear」! Because they have the 「Will」! The heart to care for another being, the courage to stand up for the innocent, when they are too weak to stand on their own! They have the determination to stand up again, and again, and again, all so that the innocents will not be trampled over again! They had the 「Will」 to make sure the world was a better place!"

Ruby seemed to be impassioned by my speech, as she started to lean closer and closer to me, ears straining to concentrate on my words

"Those 「heroes」 aren't 「fearless」, they overcame that 「fear」! They conquered that 「fear」! That's what separates those heroes from the Grimm! Human praise is the praise of 「bravery」! Human greatness is the greatness of 「bravery」! No matter how big, how strong, how scary those Grimms might be, those 「heroes」 will 「_**STAND**_」 up to the Grimms, no matter what! For these Grimms do not know 「fear」, they know no 「bravery」! They are driven by nothing but hunger! They are but 「fleas」!"

"...wow…."

"That's why the three 「aspects」 are important. One must have the 「Skills」 to survive and help the innocent, the 「Wits」 to succeed in their mission, and the 「Will」 to stand up even to the biggest and scariest adversaries, to ensure that greatness of 「Humanity」 is preserved! To ensure that the 「Golden Heart」 flows within us all! Have one of these missing, and you have no right to be called a 「hero」, a 「hunter」!"

Ruby seemed to have been enamoured by my words, as I saw her eyes sparkle, the brightest I have ever seen to this day, after I had finished my impassioned (Thank you Will. A. Zeppeli) speech.

"... At least, that's what I think. To each their own."

Ruby then shouted.

"How!? How can you be so…. so cool!? How do you know all this!? You're only 8!"

"... Says you. I'm surprised you even understood what I said."

Ruby pouted at my words.

"Don't mock me! I read books!"

I couldn't help but laugh.

_**Wow, what a speech! Might as well learn Hamon again!**_

_**It seems that Ruby has been touched by your speech, just like how Jonathan Joestar was touched by the words of William A. Zeppeli!**_

_**Along with increased closeness with Ruby, you have now gained admiration from her!**_

_**Not as much as her mother, though….**_

_**Your **__**「**__**Ougon no Seishin**__**」 **__**Mantra has reacted to your speech!**_

_**「**__**Ougon no Seishin**__**」 **__**has been passed to Ruby Rose!**_

_**「**__**Inactive Silver Eyes**__**」 **__**Mantra of Ruby has reacted with Mantra:**__**「**__**Ougon no Seishin**__**」**__**!**_

_**Ruby's **__**「**__**Ougon no Seishin**__**」 **__**Mantra has mutated into the Mantra: **__**「**__**Gin no Seishin**__**」**__**!**_

_**Ruby Rose has renamed the Mantra: **__**「**__**Gin no Seishin**__**」 **__**into Mantra: **__**「**__**Silver Spirit**__**」**__**!**_

_**Silver Spirit**_

_**Level: 1**_

_-"Those __「__heroes__」 __aren't __「__fearless__」__, they overcame that __「__fear__」__! They conquered that __「__fear__」__! That's what separates those heroes from the Grimm! Human praise is the praise of __「__bravery__」__! Human greatness is the greatness of __「__bravery__」__! No matter how big, how strong, how scary those Grimms might be, those __「__heroes__」 __will __「__**STAND**__」 __up to the Grimms, no matter what! For these Grimms do not know __「__fear__」__, they know no __「__bravery__」__! They are driven by nothing but hunger! They are but __「__fleas__」__! That's why the three __「__aspects__」 __are important. One must have the __「__Skills__」 __to survive and help the innocent, the __「__Wits__」 __to succeed in their mission, and the __「__Will__」 __to stand up even to the biggest and scariest adversaries, to ensure that greatness of __「__Humanity__」 __is preserved! To ensure that the __「__Golden Heart__」 __flows within us all! Have one of these missing, and you have no right to be called a __「__hero__」__, a __「__hunter__」__!" - Magenta Valentine_

_**Effects: Inherited by Magenta Valentine, the Silver spirit is a weaker, purer version of **__**「**__**Ougon no Seishin**__**」**__**. Few effects are also different!**_

_**Fear resistance: 5%**_

_**Pain resistance: 5%**_

_**+10% to Mnt and Wis**_

_**Increased control over your own soul (Aura)**_

_**Increased chances of Unlocking the Mantra: Silver Eyes!**_

_**[Locked: You have yet to have unlocked your control over the Mantra: Silver Eyes!]**_

_**You have gained the 'effects' of 'Determination': So long as you are motivated, you have the strength to **__**「**__**STAND**__**」 **__**up and fight after taking hits after hits.**_

_**[Locked: Silver Spirit's level is too low!]**_

_**[Locked: You have yet to have unlocked your control over Aura!]**_

_**[Locked: You have yet to have unlocked your control over the Mantra: Silver Eyes!]**_

Holy shit.

…

Wow…...

So that's a thing.

….

Did I…..

…..

…. Did I give way to Ruby learning how to use her Silver Eyes properly?

…..

….Shit…..

…. I'm only 8

… I then realised that Yang never uttered a word after my display of 'Aura'. I turned to look at her, who was still slack jawed.

"... Yang?"

Ruby started to hop towards Yang.

"Hey, Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!"

I started to move towards Yang as well.

"Yang, is something wrong?"

As I started to move closer to her, Yang started to grit her teeth. Her eyes were turning Red.

…. I seemed to have gotten her mad over something.

Before I could react, Yang grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and started to shake me back and forth, enough force to give me a whiplash.

"O-HO-HO, SO JUST BECAUSE YOU UNLOCKED YOUR AURA, YOU'RE GIVING OUT SPEECHES TO US NOW!? WE'RE TOO PATHETIC FOR YOU, IS THAT IT!?"

"Y-Yang, I didn't me-mean it like that. I-it was just my thought on it-"

"WELL, SCREW YOUR THOUGHTS! YOU THINK YOU CAN ACT ALL HIGH-AND-MIGHTY NOW, HUH!?"

"Y-Yang, I n-never said that-"

"DAMMIT, WHY DID YOU HAVE TO GO AND UNLOCK YOUR AURA! WHY CAN'T _I_ UNLOCK MY AURA!? WE'RE THE SAME AGE! WHY COULDN'T MY MOM OR DAD UNLOCK MY AURA!? NOW WE HAVE YOU JUST SHOWING IT OFF!"

Ruby was frantic over this antic now.

"YANG, PLEASE STOOOOOOOP!"

"Y-Yang, l-listen to Ruby! C-Calm down! Please!"

Yang decided not to listen to any of us for another minute, doing nothing but shake me back and forth in anger.

_**Oh dear, it seems you've made Yang angry**_

_**Unlike Ruby's admiration, Yang seems to have formed some sort of rivalry with you!**_

_**Not to worry, you guys are still close friends! Just…. remember that this sort of rivalry will continue until she can find something she's better at than you.**_

* * *

According to my mother, Yang decided to plead with Summer,Tai, Qrow, and even Uncle Vienna (whenever the two uncles came over) to unlock her Aura (and soon Ruby followed her sister in pleading). She even used me as her source of reason (_"Magenta got his Aura unlocked, why can't I!?")_. Apparently she got shocked once more when she heard from her parents that I unlocked mine on her own.

While they won't stop her from trying to unlock her aura on her own (so long as she doesn't do anything dangerous), they won't be helping her unlock her aura until she's 10.

This seems to have gotten her upset, as she started to come over to our house to learn how to unlock her aura on her own.

Today, only my father was available in the house (Mother had to go protect a small village for a day), leaving him alone to suffer the interactions between the 2 children.

"So… you just…. Sat there? Eyes closed?"

"It ain't that simple. You have to open your senses, try to feel your soul and aura."

Yang was visibly confused by my words.

"... Just think of your body being full of holes. Closed holes. And imagine opening them to let you Aura out."

Yang attempted to follow my words: resulting in nothing but her shivering in disgust and slight fear.

"I can't do it! Just thinking about it is gross…"

"... You don't have much guts to handle this, to you?"

Yang's eyes turned red at my words.

"Oh yeah!? Is that a challenge!?"

"... The only challenge here is you, against yourself."

Yang groaned at my words.

"Don't go all vague wizard on me, Pinkie. The _magic_, is getting _old_. Quickly."

I looked at her with disbelief in my eyes. Second the fact that she made a pun…

…

… What did she call me?

"... Pinkie?"

She simply smirked at my response

"What's wrong? It's just a nickname."

"An embarrassing one. Don't call me that. Do I look like a little finger to you?"

She simply stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry at me.

"PinkiePinkiePinkiePinkiePinkie!"

….

I could do nothing but simply sigh at her immaturity. She smiled and leaned closer.

"If you unlock my Aura for me, I'll stop calling you 'Pinkie'."

"And get in trouble with Uncle Vienna, Qrow, Tai and Aunt Summer? Fat chance Goldilocks."

"Hmmph, Pinkie!"

"Goldilocks."

"Pinkie!"

"Goldilocks."

"PINKIE!"

At this point in time, our immature interactions were witnessed by my parents, who decided to record us with their scrolls.

Planning on sending the video to Aunt Summer and Uncle Tai, no doubt.

Yang sprawled on the floor, stomach up, and simply groaned.

"... So Pinkie, let's say I do what you told me to do. You know, sit there and think of having holes all over my body, and imagining those holes opening to let out my Aura. How long do I have to do that to get my Aura?"

I looked at her. She wasn't going to like my answer.

"... 2 years."

"WHAT!?"

She sat up and looked at me, eyes wide with shock.

"2 YEARS!?"

"... I started doing this ever since I was 6. So yeah, 2 years."

She growled into the air and slumped back down onto the floor

"That's too long….. It's not fair, why didn't you tell me back then!? I could've gotten my Aura if I did!"

"... You never asked, and I never thought it would actually work."

Yang started pretending to cry. It looked like she was throwing another subdued tantrum again.

… Maybe she wasn't pretending.

Yang suddenly went quiet mid-tantrum. She sat up again, but I could see in her eyes that her 8 year old brain was whirring to its limits.

"Magenta…. Aura is the manifestation of your soul, right?"

"... Yeah…."

"... Is Aura like that _'will'_ thing you talked about?"

If these Auras are like stands or nen… then yeah, I guess so.

"I…. I guess? I'm sure that they're connected, but I'm not too sure if they're the same thing."

"Then that's all I need to hear!"

Yang promptly stood up, jumping with excitement.

"Thanks, Pinkie! I'll be showing you my Aura in no-time, and I'll be using it better than you! You'll see!"

After shouting out her declaration, she started to run towards the front door.

"Thank you for letting me stay, Uncle Orchid!"

My Father simply smiled at her, and nodded. Yang reached her hand towards the door and gripped the doorknob.

"Yang."

Yang turned to look at me, hearing the plea in the tone of my voice.

"For the love of god. Don't do anything dangerous or stupid, or both."

Yang simply grinned.

"Aaaaaw, don't worry Pinkie! I won't do anything to get hurt, so don't be going around worrying about little old me! In fact, you should be worried about how much stronger I'll be, compared to you!"

She exited the house. I saw her skip back to her house, joy and excitement evidence in every step she took.

Let's just hope that Aunt Summer and Uncle Tai keep a closer eye on her.

I guess living peacefully till I get to Signal Academy became a no-go.

…..

Well,

I guess I could use the remaining time I have to test some Aura theories.

Speaking of which.

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**Age: 8**_

_**Title: The Pink Prodigy**_

_**Level: 1**_

_**Hp: 240/240**_

_**Aura: 360/360**_

_**Vajra: [Locked]**_

_**Str: 20**_

_**Vit: 18**_

_**Dex: 20**_

_**Mnt: 12**_

_**Int: 36 (28 + 30%)**_

_**Wis: 36 (28 + 30%)**_

_**Chr: 13**_

My stats didn't improve much in the past 2 years. Figures, since my body was getting used to the daily running routine, and thus I was no longer pushing my limits. Besides, I got a bit busy hanging out with Ruby and Yang.

I was impressed with my Aura Pool, though. And I even received a title after unlocking my Aura.

There were a few questions in my mind, though.

Even with an increase in my stats due to training, I never really levelled up.

In fact, I never even received any experience points.

…

Was I doing something wrong?

….

Oh well, I'll just focus on testing my theories for now.

I decided to take a leaf out of Togashi's work, and started to see if the Aura techniques in Hunter X Hunter could be applied in the world of Remnant.

I started by gathering my Aura, shining with pink light. I breathed in, breathed out, and repeated this process.

I was confident to believe that the basic Aura technique used by the Huntsmen and Huntresses in the world of Remnant, was what Hunter X Hunter would label as 'Ten'. The basic Aura defence, where the concentrated Aura would shield the user from fatal strikes.

Simple, yet very practical.

Then, there was the common usage of 'Shu', along with 'Ten'. They used the two in every fight, enveloping their weapons to reinforce them, to strengthen them.

But other than using Aura as a pulse, and allowing the users to enhance their 6th senses of detecting danger, no other Aura Techniques were shown in the Web-Animation.

So that got me thinking.

They could display only 1 basic technique (2 if they had a semblance, which could be equated to 'Hatsu') and 1 advanced technique.

I thought they could use Zetsu as well, but then I found out that I was wrong.

When they turned off Aura (trained to turn them off subconsciously or not), that didn't mean they didn't exude any Aura.

All living things were enveloped in their Aura, no matter what. They simply couldn't control it, so they were always enveloped in their Aura like a very thin mist.

Not concentrated enough to protect them, but just enough to have anything that can sense Aura react to it.

Zetsu, made it so that the Aura was fully suppressed. It didn't cause Aura to exude out into a thin mist. Anything that sensed Aura won't react to ones that used 'Zetsu'.

It was basically making one imitate a Grimm.

Great for stealth, but one who uses 'Zetsu' will become susceptible to attacks.

I decided to try and see if Zetsu was possible in this world.

I imagined all of my Aura nodes (The 'holes' all over my body that exuded Aura out) closing. I closed my eyes and focused, concentrated, on this single task. Drawing the mist that covered my body, back into where it came from: my soul. I withdrew every ounce of Aura I could feel, right down to the very milliliter.

I promptly stopped my attempt when I suddenly felt someone, or something, shaking my body vigorously.

"MAGENTA!"

I flinched at shouting and opened my eyes.

My father was in front of me, sweating bullets as his eyes searched for anything that could tell if something wrong was going on with my body.

"...Dad..?"

My dad said nothing as he simply brought me into a hug.

"Oh thank god….. Y-you're okay….. Thank god… My baby boy…."

"Dad…? I'm fine, what's wrong?"

"I-I saw your Aura just disappearing, I thought something was going! I thought you were dying!"

Oh.

OOoooooohh…

…. Shit, I never thought of this looking like that.

…..

I think I found a new application for Zetsu.

"Sorry dad, I didn't mean to scare you like that."

My father broke out the hug and looked all over my face, before settling on my eyes.

I saw confusion, his eyes trembling and starting to get soaked with tears.

"... What?"

"... I….. I got curious, I was wondering what I could do with my Aura…."

I saw the look of horror creep on my father's face. No traces of anger in sight. Only fear.

"Don't. You. Ever. Scare me like that. Don't try anything like that either. Who knows what could go wrong if you mess with your Aura!"

"... I'm sorry….."

My dad finally let go of me. But that didn't mean he went back to focus on his work.

He decided to keep his eyes on me, and thus for the remainder of my day I had to have my father sit on the couch, making sure I didn't do something risky again.

Well, that went much better than I expected.

_**My goodness, what a breakthrough!**_

_**Even if you are using references (And definitely not copying other world's Aura techniques… *cough* *cough*), you have taken a step further in growing as a formidable man!**_

_**You have taken some (only a little, but hey! Better than nothing!) growth in your soul:**_

_**You have gained 10 Exp!**_

_**Experience: This is the amount of **__**「**__**growth**__**」 **__**of your **__**「**__**soul**__**」**__**. You will gain experience in two ways: In winning a fight/killing your opponent (as every fight will be a growth of your fighting spirit, the proof that your soul is getting tempered into a stronger **__**「**__**spirit**__**」**__**!), or going through a significant event! (A no-brainer there).**_

_**Akashic Record Lite will be showing your **__**「**__**growth**__**」 **__**in the imagery taken in standard RPG games!**_

_**In your search for knowledge and practice, you have created a new Mantra!**_

_**Mantra: Fine Aura Control**_

_**Level: 1**_

_-"Human potential for evolution is limitless." - Isaac Netero_

_**Effect:**_

_**Increased control over your own Aura**_

_**Increased success of creating Mantras connected to Aura**_

_**Aura recharge rate: 10%**_

Well…

This was indeed a surprise.

A surprise to be sure, but not an unwelcome one.

Unfortunately, I'm bound to get scolded by my father again if I use something like Ren. I am forcibly releasing my Aura all out once, exhausting my storage of concentrated Aura.

Then I guess the only thing I could do was either Gyo, En, Shu, Ko, and Ryu.

Ken was out of the picture because of it being an advanced Ren, and so was In, which was a much, much, _MUCH_ more difficult and complex version of Zetsu. I can tell that my dad would flip again.

It seems that due to my unstable control over Zetsu, I gained nothing from it other than the level 1 'Fine Aura Control' Mantra. But that in itself was a bonus for my plans.

* * *

"Hey Honey, I'm hooooome~!"

Lily, back from her huntress work, found the house to be eerily quiet. Even if she could see that her beloved husband (Who looked tired already. Bless his soul), the atmosphere unknowingly made her tense. The edge of the dining table being caved in, like it was struck by a blade, didn't help either.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?"

Hearing his wife voice her concern for the sudden shift in his well being, Orchid slowly raised his head to meet his soul-mate in the eyes.

"... We need to talk about Magenta ..."

At the mention of their little Miracle, Lily already began to fear what Orchid was trying to say.

"What happened to Magenta? Is he ok?"

"... Yeah, he's sleeping in his room…"

"... Did he do something?"

Orchid rubbed his brow-ridge with his thumb and index finger.

"... I think there's something more to Magenta than what we thought of him…"

"... What do you mean?"

Orchid showed concern in his eyes. Extreme concern.

"... He got curious with his Aura today, wanted to….-" He brought up his two hands to start air-quoting. "-'Try something out'..."

Lily's concerns with her son grew.

"... What did he do?"

She asked in a sharp whisper, fear stopping her voice to go any higher.

"... He made his aura disappear."

"WHAT!?"

Orchid quickly put up a finger to his mouth, motioning her to keep quiet.

"Shhhhhhhhh, Magenta's sleeping. I don't want him to wake up right now."

Lily was starting to get anxious. She could feel it. But being an Atlesian, she decided that it was best to sit down before her fear and nervousness got her emotions out of control.

"I-is he fine? Did something go wrong? Is his Aura still running?"

"Yeah…. I got scared as well and I thought he was going to die and I…-" Orchid could feel the fear returning as he searched his memory. Whatever his son did, he wasn't still over the whole experience. The fear of dying was one thing, the fear of sensing someone suddenly dying, someone close, someone precious, someone still so so so young…..

It was a horrifying experience that he never wanted to feel again.

He was choking on his words, and it was only through the comfort of his wife that he carried on with his explanation.

"… and I shook him, and I shouted his name, and he just opened his eyes, and his aura was back."

"... What?"

"He….. controlled his Aura, so he could…. I don't know, hide it? I don't know what he did…"

"... You're sure he was controlling his Aura?"

"...Yeah, I thought it was just him _thinking_ that he could control it. You know, he's a kid. He's not….. He's not supposed to be able to even use Aura right now. But…..."

"... But?"

"... I started seeing him control his Aura. Without a doubt."

"... How? In what way?"

"... He started to….. Control his Aura in many ways. One of them was making some Aura on his body shrink, and then enlarging Aura in other parts. Like, I saw him close his eyes and just…. Just scrounge his face up. You know, like he was concentrating on something, really hard."

Orchid let out a short and small snicker through his slightly opened lips.

"Kinda like how you scrounge up your face when you were trying to think of something. Eyebrows forming that upside down 'V'."

Lily simply smiled at her husband's words.

"... and then I saw the Aura that enveloped his torso shrink into thin mist-like form. You know what I'm talking about, the type of Aura you see in people that didn't awaken their Aura."

Lily nodded at her husband's words, asking him to continue.

"He then…. Then his fists, the Aura on his fists just grew…. Like he was moving the Auras in his torso to his fists. Another one was him suddenly drawing in all the concentrated Aura, and….. releasing them."

"Releasing them?"

"Yeah, in a circle, and he just kept it like that. Not all of his Aura, just a bit of it. And then….. His… his last one was enveloping his…. His toy blade in Aura"

"That….. That one doesn't seem so bad…"

"No, you don't get it. It wasn't like ours where we simply made it tougher to break and just harder to hit. His application of Aura just made the whole toy burst with Aura. It…. It made the toy blade _sharp._ I got scared immediately, and told him to stop. It was dangerous for the child to wield something like that, after all."

Lily nodded in understanding.

"But…. He accidentally lost grip of his toy."

"He didn't get hurt or anything, right?"

"Yeah, he was fine. But…- " Orchid looked at the table. Lily now realized what made the table lose a chunk of wood. "- …. The table didn't make it."

Lily was simply lost for words.

"... I know Magenta is our son. He's our precious little boy, our treasure. But, what he did today…. I-I just want to know what Magenta really is. I know he's human, without…. Fine, I'll admit that there are some questions. But, is he really just a prodigy, or is he…"

"... You're worried he might be those kids from that horror film we watched together, right?"

"... Something like that….."

"... Omen, that was the name. With the child being born as a half-Grimm."

"I sure he's not actually half Grimm, but…. I…. I'm just scared."

Lily looked at her husband.

"Don't be. I… I know that he's a bit different from the rest of the kids. He's…. He's not energetic like Ruby and Yang, He's smart, disturbingly smart. He sometimes just gets that blank look and stares off into the distance."

"... That one is really disturbing and concerning to see, especially from a small child."

"... You're right. But…. You should listen to what he said to Ruby and Yang. Summer told me all about it."

"... What did he say to the girls?"

"He…-" Lily snickered a little. "- told them that, they need to have three 'aspects' to have the right to be called a Huntress."

"Three aspects?"

"Yeah. One was Skill, which in the words of Ruby, was 'being fast, being tough, being strong'. The other one was Wits, which was 'staying smart and making plans'. And the last one was Will."

"Will?"

"Yeah, which Ruby was all over about. She said that Will was 'The heart to care for another being, the courage to stand up for the innocent people that can't, and the determination to stand up no matter what.' And let me tell you about what he told Ruby what bravery was."

Orchid snickered at what Magenta said to Ruby.

"What did he say about bravery?"

"He said that, in Ruby's own words, 'Bravery was knowing fear, having fear, yet continuing to stand up to evil, overcoming and conquering fear. Every hero, even Summer, had fear. But they fought instead of running away, because they had the Will to make this world a better place, to make sure everyone had the '_Golden Heart'_ flowing through the people.'"

Orchid snorted.

"The Golden Heart?"

Lily giggled in response.

"I know, it's a bit cheesy! But that's what Magenta said to Ruby!"

The couple laughed in harmony, bringing a bit of peace to their concerned mind.

"But… yeah, according to Magenta, that's what separates the heroes from the Grimms. Because the Grimms have no fear, they are only driven by the foolishness of hunger. That they are nothing but fleas."

"Fleas? Where did that come from?"

Lily giggled again.

"Apparently Magenta made a pretty fine analogy with fleas."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Apparently, it's because fleas are biting big animals and sucking their blood not because they're brave, but because they just don't have fear. They do it because they're just hungry, they're being foolish."

Orchid snickered at the explanation.

"It's really cheesy, but you can tell for sure that our precious little boy has his heart in the right place."

"... You mean his _golden heart_?"

Lily laughed at her husband's remark, pushing his shoulder with little force.

"Don't make fun of Magenta, he's trying his best!"

Orchid just laughed.

"But yeah… I guess I didn't have to worry about him being…. Well, bad."

"Of course not, he's your son after all. If you can stay good like this, even after growing up in the Rotting Valley, then you really don't have to worry about him turning into those psychopaths, or sociopaths, or whatever."

Orchid simply grinned, sorrow was tinting his eyes even as he was grinning.

"... I hope so."

"... He'll grow up fine. I'm sure of it. Let's just…. make sure that he doesn't get himself hurt over his quite foolish….. Curiosities."

"... Yeah. We will have to find someone to check if he's really ok, though."

Lily's lips stretched into a gentle, loving smile.

"Of course, sweetie."

* * *

_**Well, I'll be damned! You have enough control over your Aura to place yourself at the top of Signal Academy!**_

_**Not too sure about Beacon, though….**_

_**But, you 'are' still 8, this is a HUGE progression!**_

_**Keep it up, and don't get too cocky!**_

_**You're Mantra: Fine Aura Control, has leveled up to Level 3!**_

_**Aura recharge rate: 30%**_

_**You have created Mantra: Aura Reinforcement (**__**周**__**)!**_

_**You have created Mantra: Aura Stealth (**__**絶**__**)!**_

_**You have created Mantra: Aura Trade (**__**硬**__**)!**_

_**You have created Mantra: Aura Distribute (**__**流**__**)!**_

_**Mantra: Aura Reinforcement (**__**周**__**)**_

_**Level: 1**_

_-"Once you believe that a weapon is part of your body, the strength of the Aura will make the danger it possesses: boundless." - The Shrike, Mistralian Huntsman._

_**Effect: By applying the 'Shu' Technique, reinforcement of your weapons that are in your hands are increased beyond the standard Aura reinforcement used by the Hunters of Remnant! You can control the amount of Aura put into your weapon, with the current limit being 20% of the Aura you have.**_

_**Weapon durability increases by maximum of +20%**_

_**Weapon damage increases by maximum of +15%**_

_**Once the weapon leaves your hands, the Aura Reinforcement in the weapon will disappear in 10 seconds.**_

_**Mantra: Aura Stealth (**__**絶**__**)**_

_**Level: 1**_

_-"Kept you waiting, huh?" - Big Boss_

_**Effect: By drawing in your Aura, and closing it off (Using 'Zetsu'), you make yourself unable to be detected by anything that can detect Aura, as well as giving you a boost to stealth, making you less likely to be found and detected!**_

_**Gains the effect of being unable to be detected by Aura sensing**_

_**+20% to Stealth**_

_**Unable to use Aura while using Aura Stealth (**__**絶**__**)**_

_**Vulnerable to all attacks**_

_**Mantra: Aura Trade (**__**硬**__**)**_

_**Level: 1**_

_-"You need to choose: Will you be the __「__shield__」 __to survive, or will you be the __「__spear__」 __to succeed?" - Vienna Rose, Thorns of the Rose Family_

_**Effect: By closing off Aura that's in certain parts of your body with 'Zetsu', and instead making that Aura flow into a different part of your body, You are able to strengthen Aura in certain parts of the body! You can control the amount of Aura fluctuating to your desired parts, with the current limit being 40% of the Aura you have.**_

_**Maximum of +40% to damage in parts with increased Aura**_

_**Maximum of +40% to defense in parts with increased Aura**_

_**Parts with no Aura are vulnerable to all attacks**_

_**Mantra: Aura Distribute (**__**流**__**)**_

_**Level: 1**_

_-"This is the first __「__test__」__: One cannot be sure that they know themselves, if they cannot control their Aura with precision!" - Ringo Helleborne_

_**Effect: By decreasing the amount of Aura that's in certain parts of your body, and instead making that Aura flow into a different part of your body, You are able to strengthen Aura in certain parts of the body! You can control the amount of Aura fluctuating to your desired parts, with the current limit being 20% of the Aura you have.**_

_**Maximum of +20% to damage in parts with increased Aura**_

_**Maximum of +20% to defense in parts with increased Aura**_

_**Maximum of -20% to damage in parts with decreased Aura**_

_**Maximum of -20% to defense in parts with decreased Aura**_

Few days later, my dad wanted me to sit down and have a talk with him. I guess it was about my continued uses of Aura Techniques.

"... Is there a reason why you're using those….. '_Techniques'_?"

I simply shrugged at his question.

"I guess it's because I want to use them better."

"... Why?"

My father squinted his golden eyes. It was clear that he was trying to gouge out my reaction and trying to see what my reasons and intentions were.

I shrugged my shoulders and simply told him the truth.

"I got curious about Aura, and I found how to use it, and since they're cool and fun to use, I wanted to get to use them better."

I saw my father getting frustrated by my answer. I guess it was understandable, since it was Aura techniques he never saw before. To him, I was just playing with an unknown factor in my Aura. One good mistake could get myself injured. Or worse: dead.

My father put his hands over his face, rubbing his face up and down slowly. It was like he was wiping tears and sweat off his face. He spoke while his hands were on his face.

"Magenta….. Could you promise me one thing?"

"? What is it?"

Father's hand slid down from his face, revealing his eyes. He was tired, and concerned about me dabbling with the unknown so recklessly. It was clear for everyone to see. However, only certain people would've seen the fire that was smoldering at the deepest part of his pupils, hiding like an ember in the pile of logs.

"Until we find out clearly what you are doing…. I don't want you using it. For all we know, it could be shortening your life, or it could just be your semblance."

To be quite honest, it wasn't a difficult promise.

For one, the Nen application may not be perfect, and he may be correct to assume that me using them like this could have some unknown cost to my body (even if Akashic Record Lite doesn't say anything about it. This thing rarely told me anything). And it wasn't that I couldn't use it forever, just until they find out what I'm really doing with my Aura.

Besides, I could always use it behind their back.

….

Sorry, dad.

"Ok, dad."

"I'll be watching you, don't think you can use it when you think I'm not looking."

Well, shit.

I could do nothing but smile at his words, trying not to look too suspicious.

My father simply sighed at my antics. It was clear to him that I needed to be watched carefully.

Now that I wasn't allowed to practice Nen, I guess the only other thing to do was developing other Mantras.

…

That didn't look like it would concern my parents.

….

What should I make?

As I was thinking about which Mantra to make, my mom popped into the living room. I saw my mother look around to find my father, giving him a teasing smile when she finally found him lying on the couch.

"Hey Sweetie, you ok with gyro for lunch today?"

I saw my father's face brighten

"More than ok! You know how much I love gyros!"

My father started to pump his fist in the air. He really loved gyros.

….

….gyros….

…..Gyro.

I think I found my inspiration.

My father found me in the backyard the very next morning, 10 am. He decided to sit down on the porch. I was holding my soccer ball with both of my hands, 10m away from the only tree that was in our backyard. Father saw me simply staring at the ball, my brows furrowed deeply.

"... Ummm, Magenta?"

"Yeah, dad?"

"What are you trying to do?"

"I'm trying to spin the ball."

My father stayed silent at my answer. I turned to see what was wrong, and all I got was a look from my father. His expression was blank, but it was clear in his eyes that there was some….

….

Disappointment.

"... I know how to 'spin' spin the ball, I'm just trying to learn how to 「SPIN」 the ball."

"... Could you tell dad what the difference really is?"

I walked over to him and sat down in front of my father, the soccer ball still in my two hands.

"I heard about this ancient Mistrali technique called the 「Spin」. Apparently it's an old martial art and medical technique that uses spherical objects and allows them to spin continuously."

"... And… what does it do, other than spin?"

"It… apparently enhances the destructive power of the object that has been imbued with the 「Spin」."

I saw my father grow worried again. I could tell why, if the living room table said anything about my last 'experiment'.

"But not just that, it makes you throw the object with better aim and control, and you can also make the human body do cool things!"

It was clear my dad was getting suspicious about my claims, but decided to listen to me. One would've simply waved it off as a wild and overactive imagination of an 8-year-old.

But this was me we were talking about.

Me, who managed to make my Aura do shockingly new things. Something that, in the golden eyes of my father, was unbelievable, especially at my age.

"... What sort of cool things?"

"Well, it makes you trigger muscle reflex: like making a horse kick with enough force to break a bridge, or make someone's hands and arms turn on it's own. One can squeeze water out of their entire body, or make their skins turn hard, like stone."

I saw my father's eyes squint more and more as I listed off the effects the 「Spin」 had on the human body.

I guess he was still skeptical, though, if him letting me continue to try and learn the 「Spin」 told me anything.

Now, how did Johnny do it again?

If I remember what Gyro told Johnny…

_Lesson 1: don't have any weird hopes on me__. If you have the __「__Will__」__, then do it._

_Lesson 2: Work those muscles._

_Lesson 3: Believe in the Spin!_

_Lesson 4: Pay your respects. Spin your bullets in a golden ratio._

_Lesson 5: The shortest route is the detour. It was the detour that was the shortest path!_

…

This wasn't going to be easy….

_**Well, well, well! Would you look at that!**_

_**It seems like we have a winner here, congrats!**_

_**Although it seems too weak to create it as a Mantra for you, Enough mastery of it will make it into a Mantra in no time!**_

_**Just try and master it until you can use the golden ratio!**_

"YES! YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!"

My mother was surprised by the sudden outburst in the backyard, especially so when the Winter sky of 8pm was stained with the dark blue colour of the night. The lush green field of the yard was tinted dark turquoise, I stood there with the soccer ball on the ground. Yellow lines were travelling across the soccer ball, as it continued to 「Spin」 into the grass.

This was it.

10 hours of practice and concentration.

This was the 「Spin」

If Johnny had that bullshit stand.

Then Gyro had hope, and the 「Will」.

My mother came to the backyard to see what I was excited about. Only to see my father slack-jawed and staring at me.

It was a no-brainer there. He witnessed, after several hours of me either sitting or standing and simply focusing on the soccer ball, the soccer ball suddenly spinning. It was slowly floating out of my hand and climbing up and up into the sky, albeit with a shaky trajectory. The soccer ball then fell back down to Earth, bouncing up and down the grass before it landed between me and my father.

The ball never stopped spinning, lines of yellow light traveling on the surface of the ball, as if they were planets orbiting around the sun.

It was a strange sight to see: a child jumping up and down with joy, and a father that looked like he saw a ghost.

Or a miracle from god.

It still lacked power. While the ball stuck to the tree, still spinning, it didn't even shave a sliver of bark off of the pillar of wood.

But then again, Rome wasn't built in a day.

And since my father asked if he could teach it to me as well, I have more time to practice myself.

All in all, it was a good day.

A wonderful day, with wonderful results.

….

It was only unfortunate that Summer Rose died 3 days after.


	4. The Roses, the Crows, and the Wolves

Chapter 4: The Roses, the Crows, and the Wolves

It was 2 days into the start of Autumn, when we received the news of Summer Rose's death.

I was practicing the 「Spin」, and teaching my father at the same time. Our training was interrupted when there was a knocking on our Mahogany front door (it used to be oak until yesterday. The darker shade of the wood was a reminder that if mishandled, the 「Spin」 could be just as dangerous to the user, as the environment).

It was Tai.

His usual grin, which displayed his pearl white teeth, was nowhere to be found. In fact, his lips remained as a thin, short line. We could actually see the corners tremble. His skin was pale, and it was especially jarring to see with his tanned skin.

His eyes, it had no light in it. It was simply replaced with the reflection of the sun through the tears that covered the ocean blue organ. And those eyes were simply staring off into the void. His expression remained neutral, blank, and that was enough to tell us something was deeply wrong with him.

It was taking every ounce for him not to simply fall to his knees and break.

Through choked words he told us, about how Summer was gone for the past week on a mission. She went on one mission that went as long as a month, but Uncle Tai told us how this mission was different. At least in every other mission, she checked in with the family every 2 days.

Not once did she even give Uncle Tai a message.

Everyone knew how much Uncle Tai cared about Aunt Summer. It was to the point that Uncle Tai never left Aunt's side, unless she went on hunting missions.

So it was understandable how much this frightened her. Even if she did come back safe and sound, Uncle Tai would've been shaken up enough to just stick to Aunt Summer for an entire month or two...

… But she didn't come back.

The Headmaster of Beacon came to the Rose-Xiao Long family house personally, to give Tai, Qrow, and Vienna the official notice.

That Summer got killed during her completion of the 'hunting' mission.

All they needed was one sentence to completely shred the Rose-Xiao Long family apart. It was to show that Summer was the glue of the family, the anchor.

With her gone, everyone else just drifted away from each other.

Qrow was a drinker, through and through. But for the last 8 years I saw him, he had a limit of one bottle a day. Hunters need to keep sharp, he said.

Then it became 2 bottles a day, after the news of Summer's death.

Then 3 bottles a day.

Then 4.

Then it started to fluctuate between 5 to 7.

He was never near Rose and Yang when he was drinking, he was aware of how much of a bad influence that could be. He just went from one bar to the next.

It was at this point where he lost control of his semblance.

Qrow had the capability, and proof, of controlling his bad luck semblance. He could direct when and where the bad luck would end up at, as if he was controlling the red string of fate.

I guess one change in the soul was all you need to alter how your semblance worked.

….

Tai?

Shut in his room, walking around his home mindlessly. He still cooked, he still cleaned.

He still did his duty.

He just wasn't there 'emotionally', for his daughters.

It was Vienna who was forced to take the role of his sister and his brother-in-law.

He tried to help Yang and Ruby go through with their lives. Comfort them as they cried and wailed.

But I think it was him that needed it the most.

He didn't show it, but I knew that losing a family member like that would break a man. Didn't matter if it was a small shard or a huge chunk, everyone lost something.

And pain was the only thing that remained.

My parents did all they could to comfort the three adults, and help them with taking care of Ruby and Yang.

Ruby, bless her silver soul. Ruby knew that Summer was gone, but she didn't understand it.

It was a clear reminder that knowing and understanding were two different things.

Yang understood though, she understood what happened completely. She was distraught. I saw her lilac eyes just darken, like a wilting flower.

It was shocking to see the cheerful girl like this. It was like seeing a wind-up toy simply lay on it's side, unmoving, and shoved into the corner of the room.

I found her at the cliff, where Summer's grave was. That marble slab of stone was all there was to prove that she was finally sleeping peacefully on the island of patch. Buried beneath that white tombstone was her spare huntress clothes.

And we all hoped that was enough for her spirit to pass on.

The sun was setting, it was where the Magenta and Purple night sky met the orange afternoon halfway. The trees beyond the cliff were tinted yellow and red.

Well, if this shit ain't poetic as fuck.

Yang was crouching in front of Aunt Summer's grave, Ruby was next to her, asleep. Her eyes, swollen and red, were all there was to see that the young girl in black and red hair had cried herself to sleep. Yang was still awake, but tears were leaking out of her lilac eyes.

"Yang…"

"Hey, Magenta."

I walked up to the two, and sat next to Ruby. I simply stared at the tombstone.

_Thus kindly, I scatter._

I could feel my stomach churn and my heart beat in pain.

She was a mother to two, an Aunt to one, a Sister, a Wife, a Leader of a team.

The pain I felt made it clear that she wasn't just a character that I simply knew from the show.

She was an actual family member that we all cherished.

A family member that I knew how she would die. Sent to Salem by Ozpin, like lambs to the slaughter.

And I did nothing but simply focus on myself.

…

But could I even change the outcome if I tried?

All that would've resulted in was trouble.

I was 8, no one was going to listen to me.

And if I tried to talk about Salem, that would instantly mark me as a target on both sides.

….

Am I really thinking about this clearly, or was I just being a coward?

…

What was I supposed to do? Was I doing the right thing by keeping quiet?

"... Why are you here, Magenta?"

Yang's voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"... She's my Aunt, Yang. I lost someone important as well."

The taste of Summer's cookie suddenly appeared in my tongue.

I guess I really did miss her, too.

"..."

Yang stayed silent at my answer. But then she spoke.

"... Why did she have to die?"

"... You're asking me?"

"... You're smart. I don't care if it's just your thought, I want to know what you think."

I simply looked at Summer's gravestone. Why did she have to die?

She had two kids to take care of, two that she cherished with the bottom of her heart. The bottom of her soul.

I felt the Autumn breeze blow behind our back, and the Magenta-Purple night sky was overtaking the orange, as if the wind was dragging the colors along with it. The shattered moon was rising up on the horizon we turned our backs to.

"She didn't. She didn't have to die."

That was all I could say.

"Then why didn't mom come back from her mission?"

"... I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"... I don't know everything, Yang. This just fell into that category."

We both stayed silent. We saw the sun finally disappear and take the orange sky with it. The trees started to form and fuses into a black spiked mass, carpeting the ground below the cliff. The grass we sat on was dyed dark blue, the small circle of dirt around the cliff looked like small pitfalls now.

I stood up.

"It's getting dark now. We should go back now. Here, I'll carry Ruby."

I turned to Ruby, as I started to pick her up and piggy-back carry her.

"... What do you think was on that mission?"

Yang asked on our way back home. The trees were lining both sides of the dirt road, as if they were kingdom guards making way to the carpeted road that lead to the throne of the king.

"... I think there was something scary, and powerful."

I didn't _think_ there was a scary and powerful monster. I _knew_.

"Why do you think she died, instead of running away?"

"... Because that was the mission, to kill that monster."

"Do you think she knew?"

"I think she knew."

"Then why did she take the mission, why couldn't she just leave it to someone else?"

I heard her voice break. She was barely keeping herself together.

"... Because she couldn't ..."

"...Why?..."

"..."

I was hesitant to give her my answer. My opinion was certainly different than hers, and she wouldn't like my thought.

But a minute of silence, I decided to give her my answer anyway.

"... It was her 「fate」."

"...What?"

Her voice cracked in disbelief. I knew why. I understood why. I basically told her that Summer dying was meant to be. She was supposed to die, that's all it amounted to.

"... It was her 「fate」 to take that mission, her 「fate」 to fight that monster. I didn't mean that it was her 「fate」 to die, but she knew that she could die when she took this mission. But she took it anyway."

"... Because she was a huntress? That was the reason why, wasn't it."

"No Yang, it wasn't because she was a huntress."

Yang's foot stomped on the dirt road, and she suddenly exploded into an uproar. It honest to god startled me.

"THEN WHAT WAS THE REASON!? YOU KEPT TELLING US ALL ABOUT THAT 'WILL' THING THAT HUNTRESSES HAD! THAT WAS THE REASON, WASN'T IT!? IT WAS ABOUT HER STANDING UP TO MONSTERS THAT COULD SCARE HER, BECAUSE OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY COULDN'T!"

The trees rustled as birds flew out in fright. Birds of every color, that was about to rest in the branches. Yang was taking deep and heavy breaths. I could hear her snivelling after her outburst.

Ruby was rousing out of her sleep, and I felt her squirming on my back as she was trying to toss and turn.

"It's because Aunt Summer had you two."

Yang stayed silent at my words.

"... What do you mean?"

"... Aunt Summer was a mother first, and a huntress second. She took that mission, not because she was a huntress, but because she was a mother."

"... I-I don't get what you're s-saying…"

"... That 「fate」, that she accepted, she accepted it not because she was a huntress, or a hero. She accepted that 「fate」 as a mother. Because if she didn't, then that 「fate」 would have been passed on to you two. She couldn't allow that, she loved you two. So she took that 「fate」 for you two. So that you two would be safe."

All I could hear were heavy breathing from Yang, and two footsteps on the road: Yang's and myself.

"... You're just making stuff up."

I stopped walking and turned around to her. She stopped walking as well. I could see tears rolling down her eyes and down to her cheek. Snot was peaking out of her nostrils. Her lips were sealed shut, tightly.

I guess she couldn't hold in the sorrow anymore.

"... Maybe I am. Maybe I'm pulling this out of my butt. To try and make Summer's death be honorable like a hero, playing it up."

I turned back around and started walking again.

"Or maybe I'm right."

We managed to arrive at the Rose-Xiao Long estate. We set Ruby on her bed, tucked her in, and closed the door.

The house was perfectly clean. The bookshelves in the living room were perfectly lined up and stacked, the turquoise rug was free of dust, and so was the dark-green couch. The potted plants were recently watered and healthy.

Uncle Vienna was sleeping on the couch, sitting up like he was Leone. Zwei decided to use Uncle Vienna's stomach as his new bed, and it seemed that Uncle Vienna didn't object, judging by how his arms were wrapped around the small corgi.

Yang was sitting next to her sleeping uncle, watching cartoons on the holographic projector.

I decided to return home ASAP. Mom and dad would be getting real worried right about now.

I knew that Yang would soon find out about Raven Branwen, and start to become reckless in her search for her biological mother.

I stood by the front door when I called out to Yang.

"Hey, Yang?"

She turned to look at me. I finally saw in the light of the living room that her golden hair was a mess.

"First off, get yourself washed before you keep watching the TV."

"... God, you sound like dad and uncle now."

"... and second, don't… don't do anything reckless. Or stupid. Or both."

"Relax….. I don't know what I'll do that'll be reckless right now. I don't even want to do anything with unlocking my Aura right now, either."

"Yeah, just….. just saying. Ruby and your uncle already lost Aunt Summer, they don't need you getting hurt either."

"I said I'm fiiiiiiiiiiiine… You don't have to worry about anything…."

"... Like I said…. just saying. Take care, ok?"

"Yeah, yeah. Good night."

I walked out of the front door, closing the door behind me as I walked back to my home. My mom and dad were naturally worried about where I was.

In fact, dad was starting to get his weapon: a pair of chakrams with the blades being separated into segments, each of them making a quarter of the circular blade. By the look of the blade separating into quarters, and a presence of revolver chamber and a barrel of a hand cannon (in an angle that made it so that when fired, the momentum from the shot sped up the blade spinning), the blades folded and attached to the barrel of the revolver.

I guess he was preparing to go find me.

Relief washed over both of their faces. They already lost a friend, they didn't need to lose their only son. Then I saw the relief switch to anger, due to my late return.

They were preparing to scold me as they asked me where I had been, but decided to let me off the hook when I told them I was with Yang and Ruby.

I managed to master enough of the Spin to throw my soccer ball with enough control and precision to destroy the wooden fences of your backyard. My father was mad at the destruction of our property, especially so when it was him that had to rebuild the fence.

…..

Sorry, dad.

The Oaktree was left standing during my entire practice, with only a small part of its trunk caved in. The scar on the tree was the proof of my first success at imbuing my soccer ball with enough spin to destroy part of a tree.

But then my mother scolded me for shaving off part of the tree. It _was _her favorite tree.

…

Sorry, mom.

Yang managed to find out about Raven Branwen, and started to ask everyone in Vale about her biological mother.

Vienna tried to stop her, and so did I, but it was to no avail.

My attempt was in the streets of Patch. The street was lined with small shops, no tall buildings in sight. People were walking down the streets: adults carrying bags, couples going on a date with crepes in hand, a family of 3 walking out of shops with the child holding both of their parents' hands.

Yang was angry at me, angry at me trying to stop her. We were in the middle of the streets when I saw her asking every random person about Raven, showing them the picture of her. She was taking an aggressive stance at me. She was waving her hands at me as she shouted.

"You don't get it, Magenta! This is my first mom! I want to know why she left me! I have to!"

"But she left you, she left your dad, she left uncle Qrow! No matter the reason, the bare 「result」 was that she decided not to be part of your life! It's not worth it, Yang! What would you accomplish in knowing why she left you!?"

"I'll know what kind of person she was, what she did!"

It was clear to me that this was how she was trying to cope with Summer's loss, by focusing on trying to find out who Raven was, and why she left. Her eyes were flaring up crimson, her hair was burning with Aura.

I saw her stand there, gleaming with determination.

"... You're not gonna stop, are you?"

She looked at me with her crimson eyes. And the spirit she showed was anything but golden.

"No, not until I find my answer."

I couldn't stop her.

I couldn't stop anything.

"If you're not going to stop, then please, at least think of the situation and slow down."

"Why should I?"

"Because regardless of your reason, you're getting reckless, and stupid. You're going to get yourself hurt. Or worse, you're going to get someone else hurt."

"I don't think I will, so don't worry about that."

She turned around and started stomping away. Her shoulder slumped.

"YANG!"

I shouted at her. She turned her head around to face me, her eyes glaring at me with anger and frustration.

"... Take one more step Yang, I promise you this. Take one more step, and you're going to regret this for the rest of your life."

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a warning, and you better listen to it."

"Hmmph!"

Yang started to stomp away faster, her rage fueled by my warning.

I just hoped that my words got through to her, before she endangered Ruby's life.

…

But that was highly unlikely.

The show never specified _when_ she was going to leave the house. Only that she waited until Uncle Tai was out of the house.

But since this world had Uncle Vienna, I had decided to place my trust in him, and hope that he didn't leave Yang and Ruby out of his sight.

So, I did what I did best.

Learn, Train, and Practice.

I pleaded with him to get me cricket balls, but since he knew exactly where I was going to use it, he refused.

….

We compromised on tennis balls.

So, I practiced imbuing the tennis balls with the 「Spin」.

Honestly, it wasn't that hard to do.

In fact, it was easier to do than with the soccer ball.

I tried using the 「Spin」 on my own body, trying to either flatten myself, or harden my skin, make them as tough as rocks.

I failed to try and flatten my body, but I did succeed in making my skin harden like stone. Since it was my first time, my skin wasn't as hard as I wanted.

It was probably enough in protecting me from beowolf claws, but anything that was Ursa and tougher would break it without a sweat.

But I guess that's why I had Aura to protect me as well.

But as I was thinking, a hoarse and high-pitched voice suddenly bombarded my backyard.

"_**RUBY ROSE! RUBY ROSE!"**_

I got frightened. Not only was it a foreign voice, it was shouting Ruby's name.

Could….

….

It couldn't be….

It couldn't be one of Salem's lacey…

… right?

I quickly ran to my backyard, and was left shocked at what I was seeing.

"_**RUBY ROSE! RUBY ROSE! YANG XIAO LONG! YANG XIAO LONG!"**_

There was a bird soaring in the clear and sunny crystal blue sky, flying around my mother's oak tree, circling the tree as if it was prey.

It was an avian creature that I never, in books or in life, saw before.

It was a bird with black feathers and four wings, the wings being placed so that the second pair of wings were behind the first pair. The bottom of its wings radiating yellow light, like a dimmed sun. It had a short tail protruding out at the bottom, with the end of its tail being lined with long tail feathers, silky and shiny like a ribbon. The tail feathers were shining purple. It had four legs, making it resemble a griffin. The scales on its legs, it's talons -sharp and barbed-, as well as its beak -curved and crooked- looked as if they were made of gold.

It only had one eye, gleaming red like a ruby.

It's head, back, and the front was plated with gold, as if it was wearing armor.

The light on its wings was making a trail of orange light as it flew.

It flew in the air like a snake, twisting its body as if it was swimming in the ocean.

It had a jarring mixture of majesty and savagery.

…. Was it a new type of Grimm?

I crouched down, behind the couch, to hide from it, only peaking my head out enough to see it with one eye.

I used the 'Observe' Mantra on the creature, and was left shocked at what the screen told me.

_**Wyrm Raven**_

_**Level: ? (Observe Level too low!)**_

_**Title: Messenger of the Bandit Queen**_

_**Race: Mantra Beast**_

_**Type: Avian**_

_**HP: ?/? (Observe Level too low!)**_

_**Vajra: ?/? (Observe Level too low!)**_

_**Stats: [Observe Level too low!] **_

Mantra….. Beast?

Before I knew it, a second screen appeared. Unlike the cyan 'Stat' screen, this one was clad in emerald.

_**Mantra Beasts.**_

_**In the world of Remnant, animals and Grimms are not the only creatures to inhabit the world.**_

_**Mantra Beasts are special existences, equating to mythological beasts on the world of Earth. They are all spiritual in nature, born from either a Mantra that naturally occurred due to the Vajra in the environment reacting with each other under certain conditions (Think of them as chemical reactions, like the oxidation of pure iron!), or through artificially causing the Vajras to react through 'Fusion', 'Creation', or 'Birth' Mantras!**_

_**Due to their natural attunement to Vajras, they are able to cast Mantras that are associated with the Vajra(s) they were born from!**_

_**Due to the nature of their origin, many people all over Remnant have regarded the Mantra Beasts as avatars of gods!**_

_**With the right power, equipment, and opportunity, one can make a contract with a Mantra Beasts, having them act like your familiars!**_

A small cyan screen emerged on the right edge of the emerald window.

_**You have found a new Mantra Beast!**_

_**Wyrm Raven has been added into the compendium in the 'Mantra Beast' Section!**_

Holy shit.

The show never had anything like this.

It didn't even bother to mention anything like _this_ being possible.

…...

…. Wait, did that thing say it was the 'Messenger of the Bandit Queen?'

Then, does that mean that thing is Raven's?

The screeching from the Mantra Beast snapped me out of my thoughts, as it said something much more shocking.

"_**DANGER! DANGER! RUBY ROSE! YANG XIAO LONG! DANGER! DANGER!"**_

It was talking about Yang putting Ruby in the wagon, wasn't it?

"_**RUBY ROSE! YANG XIAO LONG! LEFT THE ROSE-XIAO LONG ESTATE! INSIDE THE DUSK WOODS! DANGER! DANGER!"**_

Dad's room had been filled with books and other records, the amount of them doubling ever since I showed him the Nen techniques and the 「Spin」.

But most importantly, he had put up a map of Patch on the right wall of his room.

I quickly ran up the stairs and opened the door to my dad's room.

The room was quite small, and clean, with no dust in sight. The single window in the room had light shining down onto the desk. Even with the presence of bookshelves lining the furthest wall of the room, there were books stacked in towers in an erratically pattern.

If this room was a city, it would be a city peppered with skyscrapers the height of the Empire state building.

I quickly weaved through the pillars of books to reach the right wall.

The Dusk Woods was not far from our house, Southwest of where we lived.

I opened the drawer under my dad's desk. I saw my dad put a compass in here, and silently hoped that it still remained in the drawer.

My hope was answered when I saw the compass. I quickly grabbed the compass and tore down the map to take it with me. I then ran into my room, and quickly grabbed my purple bag, along with my Tennis balls and my Grimm Rider Web Toy blade, a curved one edged hard plastic blade, with a red body and black curved hilt. The red body was made tinted to make it the red plastic metallic, and the pipes and circular object molded in plastic made it look like it was an engine. There were empty slots for those gimmicky toys to be slotted in, but I didn't need that.

I stuffed the toy blade and all but one of my Tennis balls into the bag, and ran back downstairs.

The Wyrm Raven was gone, but I didn't care.

I had no time to lose.

I quickly ran out the front door, not bothering to close it, as I ran South-West.

* * *

Using my 'Dash' Mantra to run as fast as possible, I was trying to find exactly where they were.

Eponymous to its title, the Dusk Woods had trees after trees, lining the roads. Trees with no leaves, black as if they were covered in soot and ash. No animals were seen or heard, making the forest eerily quiet. Dead trees, that made the crystal-blue sky turn grey and misty-white as you entered the Woods. The Woods here were always cloudy, letting very few lights through to illuminate the forest.

Trees that obstructed my sights.

I could feel the debuff from the dash coming as my breathing became heavy and my lungs felt like they were on fire. But I didn't care.

"ComeonComeonComeonWhere are they!"

I was getting desperate, I had no way to know where they were.

…

Didn't I?

An idea ran past my head.

"...Gyo…."

If I could simply swap concentrate the Aura in my eyes, more than normal, I could see their Aura, and find them quicker.

…..

..I hope.

For all I know, it could've just made my eyes tougher to injure.

But I had to try.

In the silent forest of black trees and misty sky, I calmed myself. Getting anxious and nervous didn't stop shit. I closed my eyes and steady my breathing, feeling the aura enveloping my body.

I started to focus on my eyes, trying my hardest to control my Aura, and move them to my eyes.

I felt the Aura gather to my face, and then condense into eye-sockets.

I slowly opened my eyes.

I wasn't…. I wasn't looking at just Aura.

I saw the Vajra in the dead thicket. Colors, and patterns just floating in the atmosphere.

Patterns like… purple swirls, black zigzagging lines.

And things like a Weak Yellow fire and Red Rose-petal bunching up, West of where I was.

Yang and Ruby.

And as I ran over to them, I also saw it.

The black abyss, tendrils swirling around like the flickering of the sun.

It was a no-brainer that those were the Grimms.

Keeping my Aura condense in my eyes was exhausting, and it proved to me that it wasn't just my imagination when I saw my Aura bar decreasing. I dispelled my focus, and saw the Aura bar filling back up.

I got out of the black thicket to another faded road, walls of trees forming around the road in a circle, like an arena.

A colosseum of the forest.

Yang and Ruby were near the abandoned shack, the dead colors of the shack's wood stood in contrast to the vibrant darkness the eyes of the Grimms inside, burning crimson like blood and rage and fire had been forged and tempered to give the Grimms their way to see, infesting the insides of the shack.

"_**GROOOAUUAUAGH"**_

I heard the Grimms growling in the abyssal darkness of the shack. I was still too far away for them to see me.

_**BTWAAAAAUUUNG!**_

And then they jumped out of the shack. 3 Beowolves, excited to see a free meal walk into their own home.

"_**GRRRUAURAURAURURUGH!"**_

_While the world you saw as fiction may be the depiction of the most major decisions that happened in the multiverse, that ultimately doesn't mean everything is the same._

Words of Mr. Abel flooded my head.

There was a high chance that Uncle Qrow would be too late to save them.

There was a high chance that Yang and Ruby would die.

High chance, unless I stepped in _NOW_.

"_DON'T EVEN THINK OF TRYING THAT BULL-SHIT IN FRONT OF ME, YOU FUCKERS!"_

Yang flinched at my angered voice. She turned around to see me, ready to throw the one Tennis ball that was in my hand.

_SHURU SHURU SHURU SHURU SHURU_

The Yellow light started to orbit the Tennis ball in a line, as the green ball started to whirr to life. I used the 'Aura Reinforcement (周)' Mantra as well, imbuing the ball with Aura. I threw the ball, and the ball soared through the air in a curve, landing on the right skull of the Beowolf on the right. I saw bits of its bone plate break off into shards upon the impact.

_BAKUUUUUAAAAAAAAAANG~_

The momentum from the ball caused the Beowolf that got hit to be pushed into the Beowolf next to it. And like a domino, the two Beowolf got pushed into the 3rd.

All three of the Beowolves flew off course, stumbling and rolling onto the ground. I took the opportunity and quickly ran up to Yang.

"..M-Magenta?"

Yang stared at me, mouth agape and eyes with disbelief. I stared at her with a frown, showing her that I was angry with her reckless behavior.

I spoke to her calmly, voice strained from rage and worry.

"It's not safe here, get out of here while you still can."

"But-"

"DO YOU WANT RUBY TO GET HURT!?"

Yang jumped at my shout. I looked at her dead in the eyes. Yang could see the rage in the Pink-haired youth.

"I don't want you to get hurt either…"

Yang finally spoke in a strained whisper. Her lips trembling and her eyebrows curved up and down. The scratches and the smudge of dirt on her face made her look all the more helpless. Her golden hair, tied into pigtails, was split at the end. She had tears in her eyes, making her lilac eyes sparkle in sorrow and fear.

I looked at her, and I felt my eyes soften. I looked over to Ruby, who was still sleeping through the chaos and carnage that was about to ensue.

I looked back at the 3 Beowolves. While the 2 of them stood up and got into a defensive stance, the 1 that took the direct hit of the Tennis ball was pinned to the beige dirt floor, the Tennis ball still spinning in its head. Its flailing limbs were the only sign to show that it was still alive.

_**Beowolf A**_

_**[Newborn of the litter]**_

_**Level: 7**_

_**Race: Grimm**_

_**Type: Bestial**_

_**Hp: 180/200**_

_**Beowolf B**_

_**[Newborn of the litter]**_

_**Level: 6**_

_**Race: Grimm**_

_**Type: Bestial**_

_**Hp: 180/200**_

_**Beowolf C**_

_**[Newborn of the litter]**_

_**Level: 6**_

_**Status: Pinned!**_

_**Race: Grimm**_

_**Type: Bestial**_

_**Hp: 110/200**_

The one pinned with the Tennis ball lost the most health. I could only guess that a direct hit of the 「Spin」 dealt about 70~90 damage to their health.

I set my bag down and unzipped it, revealing more Tennis Balls….. And the Grimm Rider Toy Blade to Yang.

"I'll be fine…. it's you and Ruby I'm worried about."

Yang remained silent.

"..."

"If you're not going to run, then just stand back, I don't want these guys coming near you."

Yang complied with the alternative. She quickly dragged the wagon away from the Shack, and to the edge of the forest.

Her sudden movement was the trigger for the other 2 Beowolves to lunge.

_BAKUUUUUAAAAAAAAAANG~_

_KUKRAAAACK!_

Only for one to feel the forehead of its skull plate cave in due to another Tennis ball imbued with the 「Spin」, and another got the Toy blade, The 'Aura Reinforcement (周)' Mantra giving the Toy blade the same strength and sharpness that was used to carve a chunk of wood off of our wooden table. The bone plate on its head was promptly shattered, and caused the Beowolf to stumble once more.

I quickly looked at how much Aura reserve I had at the moment.

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**[The Pink Prodigy]**_

_**Level: 1**_

_**Exp: 10/50**_

_**Hp: 240/240**_

_**Aura: 216/360**_

Shit….. 144 Aura down in mere seconds.

I guess I got lucky with not putting Aura into the second tennis ball.

The one that took the second Tennis ball flew backward, landing at the entrance of the shack.

_**Beowolf B**_

_**[Newborn of the litter]**_

_**Status: Pinned!**_

_**Level: 6**_

_**Race: Grimm**_

_**Type: Bestial**_

_**Hp: 120/200**_

Guess there was less damage from the ball due to the lack of 'Aura Reinforcement'. And since it was pinned, it was no longer going to be a problem.

For now, anyway.

Beowolf A on the other hand.

_**Beowolf A**_

_**[Newborn of the litter]**_

_**Level: 7**_

_**Status: Stunned! Vulnerable (Head)!**_

_**Race: Grimm**_

_**Type: Bestial**_

_**Hp: 88/200**_

I saw it stumble on it's two hind legs, trying and failing to stand properly. The hole in its bone plate revealed the dark mass of the Grimm's flesh. Black flakes rose from the hole like smoke. I took advantage of the opportunity and ran towards the stunned Beowolf, holding my toy blade in a reverse grip, and brought the blade down into the hole.

The blade went in without resistance, the tip emerged out of the bottom of its chin. The Beowolf fell to its knees, its limbs went limp to its side. I stomped my right leg into its snout, using my leg as a support to pull the toy blade out of its skull. The blade was stained with black gunk, which was already turning into black flakes and rising from the blade, and into the air.

_**You have gained 180 EXP!**_

_**You have gained (3) levels!**_

I felt myself growing stronger, with the feeling that my Aura reserve increasing.

I took a peek and my Aura and HP, and realized that it wasn't just a feeling.

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**[The Pink Prodigy]**_

_**Level: 4**_

_**Exp: 0/80**_

_**Hp: 280/280**_

_**Aura: 231/375**_

"... Once we think of killing someone…."

I flicked my sword in order to get the gunk off quicker, and I looked at the Beowolf C, still pinned to the floor.

"...the deed has already been done…"

_**Wow, First blood!**_

_**To commemorate your first Grimm Kill, we'll give you 500 EXP!**_

_**You have gained (5) levels!**_

I didn't bother with reading the cyan screens that appeared at the corner of my eyes. I simply ran towards Beowolf C. Its limbs started to flail more savagely as I got closer, in a feeble attempt to keep me away.

I simply threw another Tennis ball at the Grimm, which hit the left shoulder. It wasn't to damage the poor sod.

No.

I just needed the arm to twist the other way.

Upon impact, the left arm of the Grimm jolted and threw itself into its right, obstruct both arms from moving and giving me a clear opening to its torso.

I drew my toy blade back, and struck it right where the solar plexus would've been, using my momentum to push the blade further into its center.

"_**ARWOOOROOAROoooooh….."**_

The beast howled as the blade inched further into its body, and the howl slowly died into a whine, before falling limp.

_**You have gained 180 EXP!**_

_**You have gained (1) level!**_

I slashed the Grimm's body, black gunk shooting out in a trail, and staining the dirt floor. The two Tennis balls started to spin and fly back to me. I only managed to grab one of the Tennis balls, as the other simply landed near my feet, still spinning.

Beowolf A's body was already halfway in disintegrating.

I was about to approach Beowolf B, when two more Grimms emerged from the darkness from the shack.

They were bigger. And unlike the first 3, had spikes of bone running down their spine. Their claws were longer, and sharper.

_**Beowolf D**_

_**[SURVIVOR]**_

_**Level: 15**_

_**Hp: 320/320**_

_**Beowolf E**_

_**[SURVIVOR]**_

_**Level: 12**_

_**Hp: 280/280**_

The weaker of the two tried touching the spinning Tennis ball that was pinning Beowolf B. Its arm turned the wrong way, and it quickly removed its paw from the spinning green ball. Beowolf E looked at its paw, moving its claws to see if it was still working fine, then looked at me.

All I saw in its eyes were savage crimson wrath.

All the Grimm saw in mine were the golden 「will」 to 「kill」.

But having two Grimms above level 10 was going to be difficult, and dangerous.

Especially so when I no longer had the element of surprise on my side, like that previous fight.

…

Or did I?

I promptly kicked the Tennis ball near my feet, the green, rubbery, furry ball flying to the two Grimms in a straight trajectory.

The two Grimms easily dodged the Tennis ball flying towards them, and promptly started to dash towards me.

_**BTOOOOM!**_

Then Beowolf E got hit in the back of its hit by a Tennis ball.

It seemed that they were too focused on what was in front of them to forget that Beowolf B still had a spinning Tennis ball lodged in its forehead.

Which was hit by the Tennis ball I threw at the two Grimms, causing the Tennis ball from Beowolf B to be shot out like a bullet, it's 「Spin」, and therefore its speed, range, and destructive capability, enhanced.

Beowolf B was still pinned, thanks to the new Tennis ball taking the empty spot of the first ball.

The hit caused Beowolf E's entire upper torso to turn, its outstretched arms hitting Beowolf D's head. The force of the turn and the impact of the hit caused Beowolf D's head to be thrown backwards, causing the beast to be momentarily stunned.

I took the opportunity without hesitation. I raised my toy blade and charged towards them. 1m within their range, I sliced at them diagonally.

Beowolf D managed to dodge the slash, losing only its left leg from the attack.

Beowolf E had its right outstretched arm cleaved off.

I then felt my left shoulder getting hit. While the Aura negated the damage, it didn't negate the force.

"MAGENTA!"

I heard Yang scream out my name in fear. But I couldn't afford to look away from the two Grimms

It was Beowolf D's claws. I guess I got overconfident, as I flew through the air and rolled onto the dirt floor. Stumbling up, I was now facing the shack.

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**[The Pink Prodigy]**_

_**Level: 10**_

_**Exp: 0/130**_

_**Hp: 340/340**_

_**Aura: 171/402**_

Beowolf D couldn't walk properly, having to crouch down and preparing itself to kick off the ground with its remaining leg.

Beowolf E decided to take initiative and ran towards me, preparing to swipe at me with its left claw.

I raised my toy blade to block the strike, but the force of the Beowolf pushed me back, near my bag.

Beowolf E prepared another strike, pulling its left paw back, and ran towards me.

I quickly grabbed a Tennis ball that was in my bag, and ran at the Grimm as well.

The Grimm was certainly faster than the last three, as it covered the distance between us much faster than I expected.

But it didn't matter.

As it brought its claw down towards me, I raised my right hand to meet its paw.

The right hand that didn't hold my toy blade.

The right hand that had the Tennis ball from my bag.

「Spinning.」

The moment its paw touched my hand, and therefore my Tennis ball, the 「Spin」 caused its legs to contract, bringing the wolf down on its knees. The friction force in the 「Spin」 stopped its paws from leaving my hand, unless I wanted it to.

And I didn't want it to.

I saw the chance and took it without hesitation, driving my toy blade through its throat, the tip of my toy re-emerging from the back of its neck, just below the Tennis ball that was still spinning on the back of its head.

It couldn't even howl in pain, all I heard was air leaving its mouth.

I pushed its paws off the Tennis ball, and watched it fall on its stomach.

I looked up at Beowolf D. It was clear he was being cautious of me, waiting for me to slip up, waiting for that opening for him to strike.

I threw my Tennis ball.

At the Tennis ball that was still spinning on the back of the dead Beowolf E's head.

The two balls collided. The Tennis ball that was one Beowolf E soared towards Beowolf D in a straight line, while the Tennis ball I threw was going at an angled trajectory, targeting the Beowolf's head.

The beast crouched down further to the ground to avoid the first Tennis ball spinning towards it, and jumped over the second one. Now seeing me without any projectiles to throw at it, it was lunging towards me without hesitation.

"You really don't learn, do you?"

_**DOGOGOGOGOGOGOGON!**_

Shrapnels, shooting towards the Beowolf at the speed of bullets, quickly found its place in the monster's skull.

They were splinters of wood, originating from the broken-down shack that it turned its back on.

On the front wall of the shack was the Tennis ball, that the wolf thought was aimed at its head.

Still spinning, still spitting out shards of wood that splintered out of the wall when the Tennis ball hit the wall.

More splinters found its place on the Beowolf's back.

The force caused the Grimm to stumble to the floor, skidding across the dirt.

The wolf left a trail of gunk on the ground, like a tire making skid marks on the road.

I swung more toy blade over my head, using the injuries on the back of its head to my advantage.

_**CRACK!**_

The blade lodged itself proudly in the skull of the beast, protruding out like Excalibur.

I saw the light die from the Beowolve's eyes, as it realized it had lost. It got outsmarted.

The 3 Tennis balls all shot back to me, and I promptly grabbed my back and raised it to my torso.

They returned with enough force to stretch out the bottom of my bag. Until I can learn how to catch them, I really didn't want one of them to hit my torso.

Beowolf B was no longer moving. The Tennis ball had been spinning into its skull for too long, and it had shredded the inside of its forehead.

_**You have gained 660 Exp!**_

_**You have gained (4) levels!**_

I turned to look at Yang and Ruby.

Ruby was still asleep, lying on the red wagon, curled up like a squirrel.

Yang had been sitting on her knees, her legs must've given out.

"... I told you I'll be fine…"

"... Y-you…. You took down all those Grimms…."

"But I can't take any more of them… I'm at my limit right now…. Come on… we have to move befo-"

_**DODODODODODODODODODODODODODODODODODODO….**_

Have you ever felt it?

That crushing feeling, like someone suddenly took control of your heart, and they were playfully squeezing it, trying to see how much pressure your heart could take until it just became a messy paste of blood and muscle tissue in their hands?

At that moment.

I had that exact feeling.

"Yang…."

Yang looked like she was about to cry, her eyes were wide with absolute despair. She couldn't keep her mouth shut, and she looked like she could faint any minute.

Her face was pale, and the smudges of dirt did nothing to stop it from looking like a thin sheet of paper.

The sky was turning from misty-white to dark gray. The trees were starting to merge into black masses, forming walls to surround us.

2 Beowolves stepped out of the shack, standing just outside the entrance.

_**[DANGER!]**_

_**[DANGER!]**_

_**[DANGER!]**_

_**Alpha Beowolf: A**_

_**[Guard of the sleeping king]**_

_**Species: Grimm**_

_**Type: Bestial**_

_**Level: 45**_

_**Hp: 15,000/15,000**_

_**Alpha Beowolf: B**_

_**[Guard of the sleeping king]**_

_**Species: Grimm**_

_**Type: Bestial**_

_**Level: 45**_

_**Hp: 15,000/15,000**_

Then, between the two beasts, the darkness within the shack itself emerged from its desolate shelter.

That thing was no Beowolf.

I couldn't even call it a beast.

It was a demon.

It stood on four legs, its flesh draping loosely of its core. You couldn't see where its body ended and its head began. Its black-furred body was glowing red.

Mouth agape, the corner of its lips stretched over the shoulders of its front pair of legs and ended where the stomach of a wolf should be.

The top of its body was lined with bony plates. Eyes, glowing crimson, were arranged all around its head and body in a spiral.

The inside of the mouth, that never looked like it could close, had no teeth, it was just like a gaping hole, a sick and plagued hole in the world.

It oddly reminded me of a whale shark fused to the body of a starved dog.

And it towered over us all.

It's back touched the roof of the shack.

_**THE GLUTTONOUS HOUND**_

_**[LAST-BORN OF GRENDEL]**_

_**Species: Grimm**_

_**Type: Daemon**_

_**LEVEL:?**_

_**HP:?/?**_

_**VAJRA:?/?**_

"...Yang…."

Yang looked at me, tears were already rolling down her cheeks and hitting the dirt floor, obstructing her eyes. All she could do was whimper.

The dark, wet patch of dirt indicated that tears weren't the only fluid she poured out.

And I honestly could blame her, or make fun of her for it. I was starting to lose control of my bladder.

'Ougon no Seishin' was the only thing that kept me together.

"... Yang, I want you to do exactly as I say… ok?"

Yang knew what I was going to say, and she was already shaking her head sideways.

"I won't take no for an answer this time. Don't endanger Ruby any further. Ok?"

She managed to force her voice to work, only once.

"...please…"

"... Yang, listen to me…. I want you to get on that wagon. I want you to get on that wagon, and grip onto the handle as hard as you can. Yang, do it now."

Yang was hesitant, but finally crawled into the red wagon, Ruby at her side. I saw Ruby stir herself out of her sleep. Yang gripped onto the handle of the wagon as if her life depended on it.

I slowly reached into my bag.

The 3 monsters simply watched.

I slowly pulled out 4 Tennis balls out of the bag.

I imbued them with the 「Spin」, and threw the balls at the wagon, as hard as I could.

It was a goddamn miracle of the Zeppeli line that I could control the trajectory of anything imbued with the 「Spin」. Guess one learns faster under pressure.

The 4 Tennis balls stuck to the wheels of the wagon, the spin causing the wheels to turn.

The wagon sped off the road, away from the horror that lurked in the shack.

"_**MAGENTAAAAAAAAAA**_AAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaa…."

I could hear Yang's high pitched scream, fading out as she traveled further and further away.

I continued to look at the three Grimms.

I breathed in sharply.

This was fine.

With this, Ruby and Yang lived.

They survived.

We won.

Now they'll be able to go to Signal.

Then Beacon.

Then they'll meet Blake, and Weiss.

They'll meet JNPR.

They'll meet Penny.

They'll suffer the fall of Vale, but that's fine.

They'll stand up. I'm sure of it.

They'll stand together, and go to Mistral, fight Cinder.

Yang will meet Raven.

They'll get the relics.

And they'll go to Atlas, meet Ironwood, help Ace ops, fight Ace ops, and go fight Salem.

They'll fight Salem.

They'll save the world.

….

….

I'll just won't be in the picture.

I felt my eyes burning.

I felt my cheeks were getting cold and wet.

Tears.

I was crying.

Of course I was, I was going to fucking die at the age of 8, facing down and getting eaten by a fucking king of Grimms.

I could feel my nose blocking up.

I felt my throat hurting.

But I wasn't planning on just dropping dead.

I strained my throat to recover my voice.

"... So what now….. One more time?"

The beasts remained still, like a statue. The only thing moving in the colosseum of dead trees, cloudy skies, broken dreams and broken lives was me.

"ONE MORE TIME!?"

The beasts readied themselves at the sound of my shout.

"TRY IT, YOU PIECES OF SHITS! I'LL MAKE SURE YOU CHOKE ON MY FUCKING BONES!"

_**Your Aura has responded to your anger and hostility!**_

_**You have created a new Mantra: Intimidate!**_

I didn't realize that my body was exuding out waves of Magenta Aura, few parts of it tainted black.

_**Alpha Beowolf: A has become 'Unnerved'!**_

_**Alpha Beowolf: B has become 'Unnerved'!**_

_**THE STARVED HOUND is unaffected!**_

I saw the hesitation in the two Grimms. And I used that as an opening to throw my 5th, and last Tennis ball, right at 'THE STARVED HOUND'.

It was a direct hit to the side, impacting on its eyes.

And it didn't do jack shit.

I didn't know how it happened, all I saw was the front of that fucking monster blur. But the world around me started to spin and turn. I felt like my entire body was floating.

And then my stomach hit a tree. My entire body flared up in pain as I landed on the ground.

One second, I had difficulty breathing due to fear and my undeniable fate.

And next, I had difficulty breathing due to every swelling of my luck caused me pain.

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**[The Pink Prodigy]**_

_**Level: 14**_

_**Exp: 80/160**_

_**Hp: 5/420**_

_**Aura: 0/430**_

I felt my chin and lips getting wet and I honest to god hoped it was just my drool.

But my hope was unanswered as I looked to see red blob plopping down to the dirt, getting absorbed into the soil and staining the ground red.

_**Alpha Beowolf: A has been dispelled of 'Unnerved'!**_

_**Alpha Beowolf: B has been dispelled of 'Unnerved'!**_

My entire body ached, and I couldn't feel my left arm.

I forced every inch of my muscle to look up at the beasts.

THE STARVED HOUND held its right front paw up, the talons on the end had thin lines of blood on it. My Tennis ball was just spinning uselessly on its side.

Heh

Heheheh

I guess that's why my world turned upside down.

Hehheheh

Heheheehahahahahahahahhhhahh….

Fuck

Fuck me

Fucking shit

This was how I was going to die again

At the age of fucking 8

When I barely did anything

My eyelids were getting heavy, and it was hard to stay awake.

My eyes became nothing but small gaps, and I saw the two Alpha Beowolves charge at me.

…

I didn't want to die.

Not yet.

Not like this.

Please….

..God.

Don't let me die like this.

….

….

…

I heard footsteps.

Two footsteps.

And then I heard the sound of metal clanging together.

"There's the kid! Vienna, take care of those Grimms!"

…. Uncle Qrow?

"Shit Qrow, look at him!"

….. Uncle Vienna?

"I know! Let's get him before we're too late!"

I felt something grabbing me tightly and lifting me up. I groaned as my body flared up in pain, especially my stomach.

"Shit, Vienna! He's bleeding really badly! We have to go, now!"

"I'm on it!"

_**RRRAOOUUGOOOOWRAOUUGHHRAUUGH!**_

I heard the Grimms howling, along with the sound of something impacting the floor.

Then I heard gunshots.

I didn't hear anything from the Grimms after that.

"... Vienna, what the fuck is that thing?"

"... I'm not sure if that thing's even a Grimm…."

Then I heard it.

That sound.

That fucking sound.

It was the sound that just vibrated in your skull, it was that visceral fucking sound that just fucking fucking fucking just fucking fucked with your brain.

It sounded like that fucking Chicago storm siren but it was more than fucking that.

"WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE, NOW!"

I heard Qrow shouting.

I suddenly felt like my entire body suddenly on a rollercoaster. I guess they were running.

I felt the ground tremble.

I heard gunshots behind us.

And that's all I felt and heard before I blacked out.

* * *

I felt like I was on something soft, and I felt a thin veil of silk enveloping my body.

I slowly opened my eyes to see that I was in my bed, in my room. The light brown wallpaper, the dark gray ceiling, the white closet door on my right side of my wall, the big window on the left, the oak door that on the same wall as the bed was.

This was my room. I was sure of it.

…..This….

…..This wasn't a dream, right?

I… I-I remember what happened.

Me running off, me fighting those Grimms because Yang and Ruby got into trouble.

And that fucking dog-thing….

The fucking starved hound.

… I… I didn't.. Didn't die…. Right?

I heard the door creak open, and I whipped my head to see who it was.

It was my dad.

With his golden eyes and silver hair. He looked miserable as shit, I could see dark circles forming under his eyes and his cheeks caving in, pronouncing his cheek bones.

He turned to look at me and went wide-eyed. He quickly looked behind him and shouted.

"MAGENTA'S WOKEN UP!"

I heard a rush of footsteps as more faces popped up.

There was a man with black hair that turned red at the tip, just like Summer's, just like Ruby's. His hair was in braids, with his hair at the back being braided into a ponytail. His green eyes looked relieved, but also stressed.

That was no doubt Uncle Vienna.

The other man next to him had a stubble, with his black hair slicked back but still messy-as-shit, looking like feathers from a bird. His scarlet eyes were just like Uncle Vienna's: stressed but relieved.

It was Uncle Qrow.

Then there was a man behind both of them: Tanned skin and hair gold like Yang's. His blue eyes just showed worry and concern.

I guess Uncle Tai was with them as well.

Dad and Uncle Vienna stepped in first.

"Y-you ok there, kid?" Vienna spoke first.

"... I think so….."

"... You don't feel anything hurting?" Dad asked soon after.

"... I don't know….."

My mother managed to catch up to them, taking all of them out of my room and letting me rest.

I could hear her scolding the adults for suddenly jumping into my room like that, especially since I was injured.

I could only guess that it would be my turn to get scolded when I got better.

I repeated the cycle of eating and sleeping for the next few weeks.

I felt a flare of pain in my stomach, and found out that the flesh from my torso was cut, deep. It left a scar of a 4-fingered claw mark. It remained on my body as a reminder of my carelessness.

Uncle Qrow and Vienna never got to kill the beast.

To this day, it still roams the Dusk Woods, making the dead forest its home.

They alerted the hunters in Vale about the monster, making plans on killing it.

I bet they alerted Ozpin too.

I got an earful from my mother as well, and then her scolding devolved into tears and sobbing. It ended with her hugging me tightly.

Too tightly.

I guess they were right to advise people not to provoke an Atlesian woman.

This even got Uncle Tai to finally break out of his depression, and started to return as Yang and Ruby's father. I guess your kids nearly getting killed while you were busy shutting down in a corner does that to a father.

I guess it reminded him that he still had his kids, and if he didn't take care of them emotionally, they'll soon be following their mother.

2 days into my rest, Yang and Ruby came to visit me. They both had tears in their eyes, Yang especially.

She felt guilty about getting me nearly killed. Her face fell when she saw the state I was in.

"... You were right….. I got reckless and stupid….. I nearly got you killed, and I nearly got Ruby killed, I nearly got myself killed. I didn't listen to you when you were warning me and-"

"What did you learn from this?"

"... What?"

"What did you learn from nearly getting all three of us killed?"

"... I'm sorry….."

"Not sorry, what did you learn?"

I looked into her eyes. She was on the verge of just falling to the floor and breaking down. Her lips were trembling. The air in the room was starting to get cold and heavy, especially so when there was silence permeating the air.

"... Do you know what the lesson of that day was?"

Yang was constantly switching between staring into my eyes, and avoiding them. She looked like she was being scolded.

I guess what it felt like to her, especially so when she was hearing this from the boy that nearly died because of her actions.

I held up my index finger.

"1. Listen to others when they warn you. Whether or not you follow through their advice is your own choice, but at least god damn listen to them. Because when they warn you like this, there's a high chance that they're right."

I held up my middle finger as well.

"2. Don't do anything fucking reckless or stupid. Or both. I said this time and time again and it went through one of your ears and out the other. I hope me nearly dying because of you makes sure that advice finally gets stuck in your brain. Do you understand?"

Yang looked to the floor, and silently nodded. Ruby walked up to her big sister and patted her on the back, trying to comfort her. Tears were rolling down the blonde girl's cheeks and hitting the carpeted floor.

I could hear her sniffle.

I waited a moment before gently smiling at her.

"... Other than that, I see nothing else to hold you against."

"... I'm sorry…"

"So long as you learned those two lessons, it's fine."

Yang finally fell to her knees, covering her face with her hands.

"I… I-I-I'm sorry…. I nearly got you killed…. And…. and…. and….. And…"

"Come one, I told you it's fine."

As much as I wanted to walk up to her and comfort her, my broken body prevented me from even tossing and turning in my bed.

All I could do was comfort her with words.

"Shhhhshsshhhshshhh….. It's fine. It's fine. No need to cry over spilled milk..."

She managed to calm down after 5 minutes of sobbing.

The three of us ended up playing Vale Kart X.

Yang's eyes, nose and cheeks were bright red for the rest of the day.

3 days in, the men of the Rose-Xiao Long family came to visit.

They heard about how Yang found out about Raven, and decided to take Ruby with her on the red wagon in order to find anything that could tell what her biological mother was like.

They would've gotten themselves killed by the Grimms if I didn't come to save them.

"Hey kid."

Qrow was the one who spoke.

"Thanks for saving my-" Vienna pushed an elbow into Qrow's arm, his face remaining blank and neutral. Qrow simply glared at Vienna before continuing. "-_Our_ nieces from getting eaten by the Grimms. Really, we would've been too late if you weren't there."

Qrow slightly readjusted his seat next to my bed, before coughing in his hands.

But, we wanted to know…. How did you know they were in danger? And that they were in the Dusk Woods?"

"... There was this weird bird, flying around the oak tree in our backyard."

I answered as I looked out my window. I saw the backyard and the very tree that the Wyrm Raven was circling.

"... A weird bird?"

"Yeah. Like, it was glowing, and it only had one red eye. It… it also had four legs and four wings, and it was covered in gold."

Uncle Qrow's expression turned grave and serious. He wasn't looking at me anymore, but instead at the ground.

"... What did it say?"

I was surprised that was his first question.

"... I'm sorry?"

"It spoke, didn't it?"

"Yeah…. It said something like 'Ruby Rose! Yang Xiao Long! Danger! Danger! Left Rose-Xiao Long estate! Headed to Dusk Woods!'..."

Uncle Qrow had a glint in his eyes. It seemed he knew what that Wyrm Raven was.

"I see…. Well, you take care of yourself, Ok kid?"

Uncle Qrow sat up, walking to the door. Uncle Vienna and Tai followed after Uncle Qrow.

"And Kid?"

I heard the gruff voice of the dusty old crow, and turned to face him.

"Yeah?"

"... Thanks… really."

Uncle Tai and Vienna looked at me.

"Yeah, really….. I don't know what I would've done when I lost my little girls as well."

"I don't think even a lot of adults could do what you did."

The 3 adults smiled softly at me.

"... They're my friends. I just did what I had to, to keep them safe."

"... You're a good kid, Magenta. I'm happy that the girls have you as a friend."

Uncle Qrow snickered as Uncle Tai gave me compliments.

"After what you did? I'd be surprised if you guys didn't become more than friends."

Uncle Vienna and Tai glared at Uncle Qrow.

"... Uncle Qrow?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"... Please don't joke about that…."

The corners of Uncle Qrow's lips stretched into a thin smirk.

"Ooooh, so you got the hots for the girls, eh? Which one is it? Is it both? Is that why you ran to them like that, so you could be their knight in shining armour?"

I simply ignored Uncle Qrow's teasing and remained silent. Uncle Vienna and Tai were pushing Uncle Qrow out of the door.

"... Sorry about the old drunkard, Magenta." Uncle Vienna said.

"... Just ignore him, Magenta." Uncle Tai added on to Vienna's apology.

* * *

"... I see Magenta got the Wyrm Raven to warn him as well."

"Yeah, I was skeptical at first, but it's clear it was a Wyrm Raven. That was the message it sent to us as well."

"Too bad we were at a bar, it took more time than I expected."

Both of them remained silent as they walked back to their house.

"... It was your sister, wasn't it?"

Qrow sneered.

"No doubt about it."

"... Why didn't your sister just go and save them herself?"

"Because she didn't want Yang to meet her."

"... Why?"

"..."

Qrow remained silent during the rest of the trip back.

* * *

Nighttime, 11 pm.

Orchid and Lily were sitting on the couch in the Valentine-Nightingale estate. The holo-projector was on.

But the focus wasn't on the Tv.

"... I found out what those Aura techniques were."

Orchid was the first one to talk.

"... You mean the ones that Magenta used?"

"Yeah. Not only that, but also about that 'Spin' thing he was using with his tennis balls as well…"

"..."

Lily grabbed the remote and turned the Tv off.

"Go ahead. I'm listening."

"The 'Spin' thing was a lot easier to find out. And Magenta was right, it was an ancient Mistrali martial art. I thought he was just lying about a new experiment. Guess he saw it on Tv or something."

"Oh?"

"It was used by the old royalties of mistral. They originated for medical advancement- and get this- executions."

"... Executions?"

"Yeah, they were used as anesthetics by placing a ball, with the spin imbued with it, on the neck of those that were about to be executed. It was for a quick, ethical and painless death."

Lily nodded at her husband's explanation, telling him to continue.

"They apparently developed this technique so that it achieves perfect, or near-perfect, rotation. So it generated more rotational energy than it takes to create. And they tried to spin these objects to follow the golden rectangle formula, as accurately as possible. And if they did it correctly, they could generate infinite rotation energy, thereby breaking the laws of physics."

Lily was surprised at her husband's words, and intrigued by it.

"That was all in theory, of course. There were only very few records of people being even remotely close to achieving this golden ration throw. But… Magenta makes it clear that impossibility is only an illusion. You had to see his throws, the Tennis balls had golden light orbiting it. Not to mention what he did to save Yang and Ruby."

Lily nodded with a gentle smile on her lips, her neck-length pink hair bouncing as her head shook.

"...I had him teach me how to use it as well."

"I saw."

Lily's gentle smile turned into a proud smirk as Orchid said this.

"... It was honestly amazing."

"Was it really?"

"... If imbuing Dharma-Chakra and Samsara-Chakra with the 'Spin', and seeing them wreck havoc every single time I threw them, in utter seconds, said anything, then yes. Really."

Lily simply snickered.

"I'm serious, my throws have never been better."

"Well, I'm sure you got your son to thank for that."

"I really do…."

"... And the Aura Technique?"

"... That one was a lot harder to find. I had to search everywhere. I even got Vienna and Qrow to help me find it."

"You got those two to help?"

"All I had to say was 'Magenta showed weird Aura techniques and I want to see if what he's doing is normal'. They helped without hesitation."

"And what did you find?"

"... There's this old Native Vacuaon 「Tribe」, called the Mictlantecs. Record shows that they were one of the last descendants of the Ancient Vacuoan civilisation."

Lily raised her eyebrows in response. She was taken aback, especially so when she was hearing that whatever her son did was connected to these ancient tribes.

"They had this belief that every single human was born with a natural spirit inside them, and it was because of these spirits that they were able to control their souls into Aura. And because every Spirit was different, the Auras of the people were molded differently. That was their belief on why everyone had different semblances."

"I… I see….. Go on."

"The Mictlantecs believed that their controls over their Aura were dictated by how strongly they bonded with the spirits that were inside them, and so started to find ways to have them control their Auras better. Along their path of researching and learning, they found these Aura techniques"

"... Are telling me that those techniques were-"

"- The same techniques Magenta was using. Including drawing back their Auras to hide in the night, shifting their Aura around to offer greater offense and defense. The more fluid the whole process was, the more proof that you were close to the spirit inside you."

"..."

Lily held her mouth agape, violet eyes wide in surprise.

"... Everything Magenta was doing, was done by that very tribe."

"... Holy shit…."

"..."

They both stayed silent in the living room. The information about their son's activity was starting to sink in.

"...Lily?"

"... Yeah?"

"... What do you think our son really is?"

Lily frowned at Orchid's question.

"... What do you mean by that?"

"... Do you think he's a reincarnation of a member of that tribe, or do you think he's a Spirit himself?"

"... You know I'm not the superstitious type, sweetie. I just think he's a genius in Aura, if anything."

"... I don't think being a genius alone can perform these feats."

"... Speaking of which…."

Lily looked at her husband with a serious expression, eyebrows furrowed deep and lips sealed shut.

"... Don't you think it's about time you start training him?"

"... This early?"

"I know it's a bit early, but…. considering what he can do, and what he did?….. I'm honestly thinking now is the best time. Besides, he came home all bloodied and battered. Sweetie, I heard his breathing being _raspy_, like he was on the verge of death… I was honestly scared."

Lily looked to the floor as she spoke. Her voice was strained and shaky just by thinking about it. Her lips were trembling as she finished speaking.

Orchid looked at her, and his eyes were filled with sorrow, his brows frowning.

"... You weren't the only one that was terrified."

"Then you know why I'm thinking it's best to start training him now."

"... Fine, I'll ask if he wants to be trained when he fully recovers."

Lily looked at her husband. Her lips, while trembling, were drawn into a smile. She pulled Orchid into a hug, wrapping her arms around his torso and digging her face into his chest.

"... Thanks, sweetie….."

"Lily…. dear….. ribs…"

"Oh!"

* * *

It took 3 weeks for me to fully heal.

And it seemed that the Akashic Record Lite had been waiting for me for a long time during my recovery.

_**Jesus Fucking Christ, you absolute mad man!**_

_**Going around killing Grimms with nothing but a toy sword and a handful of Tennis Balls! You really did make your child fantasy come true.**_

_**It seems you met what we would call a Boss Grimm! I'm honestly surprised that you even survived!**_

_**I guess luck had sided with Magenta Valentine.**_

_**The fight you put up and your will to protect your friends has caused you to grow both mentally, physically, and Spiritually!**_

_**You were given 1,000 Exp!**_

_**You have gained (5) levels!**_

So, this was the first time I leveled up, at all.

It managed to get me 18 levels.

I remembered that the levels were just a display of my soul's growth, so it would only gain experience when I either levelled up, or had some significant event that would make my soul grow.

I guess this was both.

Speaking of which…

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**Age: 8**_

_**Title: The Pink Prodigy**_

_**Level: 19**_

_**Exp: 180/200**_

_**Hp: 520/520**_

_**Aura: 585/585**_

_**Vajra: [Locked]**_

_**Str: 20**_

_**Vit: 18**_

_**Dex: 20**_

_**Mnt: 16**_

_**Int: 36 (28 + 30%)**_

_**Wis: 36 (28 + 30%)**_

_**Chr: 15**_

_**190 Points Remaining!**_

First off, my Mantra stat and Charisma stat increased.

I guess using Aura reinforcement in proper practice, as well as unnerving an Alpha Grimm, helped you with that.

It was clear that I gained 10 points to spend on my stats every time I leveled up. Which was nice.

Very nice.

Now I had to choose where to spend my point in.

…

It's probably best if I had an image of what I wanted to be: a goal, of a sort, and then stat it out to meet that goal.

….

….

I think I got the image of what I wanted to be.

* * *

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**Age: 8**_

_**Title: The Pink Prodigy**_

_**Level: 19**_

_**Exp: 180/200**_

_**Hp: 640/640**_

_**Aura: 705/705**_

_**Vajra: [Locked]**_

_**New! Str: 20 + 37 = 57**_

_**New! Vit: 18 + 22 =40**_

_**New! Dex: 20 + 37 = 57**_

_**New! Mnt: 16 + 30 = 46**_

_**New! Int: 36 (28 + 30%) + 20= 62.4 (48 + 30%)**_

_**New! Wis: 36 (28 + 30%) + 20= 62.4 (48 + 30%)**_

_**New! Chr: 13 + 24 = 37**_

_**0 Points Remaining!**_

_**Would you like to officialize this stat?**_

_**Yes/No**_

Of course I did, I fucking spent an hour and a fucking half trying to figure this shit out.

_**Great! Now hold on a minute as the Akashic Record Lite transfers this to your soul!**_

…. I wonder if this was a creation of a Mantra as well?

…..

I bet it was.

My thoughts were broken when I felt a sudden increase in energy, all throughout my body.

I was willing to bet half of my Aura pool that this feeling of energy flooding in was because it was imbuing me with Vajra.

But that's beside the point, as I was too busy feeling myself getting… stronger.

My breathing became easier and lighter, my brain was starting whir faster. Thoughts were flooding my mind but I had no problem with separating all of them, focusing on all of them was a piece of cake.

I stepped out of bed and started twirling my arms, before jumping and dashing around my room.

"Magenta, could you come down for a second?"

I immediately stopped in my tracks when I heard Dad's voice.

I opened the door and walked down the stairs.

Dad was sitting on the couch, his elbows on his knees and his hands making that weird and ominous finger tent.

His eyes were hiding smoldering fire.

"... What is it, dad?"

"... I want to ask you. What do you want to be when you grow older?"

"What else do I want to be, other than a Huntsman?"

"... Really, you sure you won't change your mind?"

"Dad, I know I'm 8….. but I think I killed too many Grimms with my Tennis Ball and my Toy blade to think of another job prospect."

My dad snorted at my answer.

"... You really don't sound like you're 8 sometimes."

I simply shrugged my shoulder. My dad pointed to the recliner that was placed in front of him.

"Take a seat, Magenta. I want to ask you something."

I complied with my dad, walking over to the ocean blue recliner and sitting on the furniture.

My dad looked at me with his golden eyes. His slight frown made it look like he was judging me. Testing me.

"... What do you think about training?"

"...Right now?"

"If you want to."

I couldn't help but feel my lips crawl into a grin. I expected him to ask this when I was 10.

"Yes, definitely, absolutely!"

His frown didn't disappear.

"It's going to be tough."

"I'm aware."

"It's going to be tiring and exhausting"

"I'm aware."

"It's going to be a nightmare for you."

"I'm aware."

Dad stared into my eyes, smoldering gold meeting flaring gold.

Ember meeting the sun.

We stared at each other in the eyes for a full minute.

Dad's frown never left his face, but he instead smirked.

"Then 4 days every week, from now till you're 17, you will be working your butt off to learn how to fight, win, and survive. You will be leaking sweat and tears and blood until you are 17. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

It was then the frown finally left him.

"No take-backs, and no blaming me."

"I'm aware."

My dad let out a short chuckle through his mouth. He stood up from the couch and walked to the backyard, going down the porch stairs.

"You coming, or what?"

"Yep!"

I quickly followed my father, out of the house and to the grassy flat plains. With the weather being a breezy sunny day with no clouds to hide the crystal cyan sky, it was a perfect day to start.

* * *

"For the next 9 years, I'll be not only training in your speed, strength, vitality, and Aura, I'll also be teaching you how to fight."

Dad explained to me as I quietly sat on the emerald grass, listening to him intensely. There was a huge rectangular patch in the middle of the backyard that was devoid of grass, tilled so that it was a soft patch of dry dirt. Sparring dummies, ranging from rubber to wood, was lined at the back edge of the rectangle.

"First off, I want to ask you. Do you know what people call me?"

I did know, but I decided to shake my head.

Dad smiled.

"They call me The Dancer of the Rotting Valley. Do you know why?"

This one I didn't know, and I told him likewise.

"Let me tell you a story. I was born on the outskirts of Mistral. A town outside the borders of the city, meaning we were at risk of Grimm attacks as well as Bandits. But, while other towns fell and quickly became desolate reminders of humanity's failure, we survived. We survived because we brought in Faunus to our town, and in turn, they taught us their martial arts."

Dad crouched down to my level and looked me in the eyes.

"We learned how to fight barehanded, with swords, with spears, with bows. And then, we started to diverge and use our newfound knowledge as the basis for new fighting styles. Everyone in the Rotting Valley learned how to fight. Everyone. But at a cost."

Dad looked to the dirt floor. His brow furrowed deep, his eyes squinted slightly, and his lips became small.

"We started to become violent and merciless. Every bandit that decided to raid our village met their fate as corpses strung upon the edge of our town. We didn't care if they were a smaller raiding party, and doing so will make us the target of the entire bandit tribe's retribution. We fought, and we won. That's how our town's name became the Rotting Valley. Its original name was forgotten."

Dad looked to the dirt floor and remained silent.

"... Each family had a specific fighting style that was passed on from father to son. The Valentine family was known for their swipes, strikes, and kicks looking like a dance. It was made to be graceful, and disorienting. You wouldn't know whether we would be standing on our hands or feet, whether we would be striking with our legs to simply kick, or to grapple. It was a dangerous martial art, but it requires great strength, stamina, and balance to master."

Dad walked up to the wooden sparring dummy.

"Here, let me show you."

My father turned to face the wooden sparring dummy, and suddenly started to crouch down, keeping a low stance. He started to sway left and right, and before I knew it he had done a complete turn. From what my inexperienced I could pick up, dad was swiftly striking the dummy with his left foot, then spinning around on his hands and swiping the head with his right. He ended the motion with a sweeping strike with the blade of his left hand. I knew there was more. He struck the dummy more times, but I just couldn't see it.

With one swift turn, he struck the dummy at least three times, in less than a second.

Honestly, the closest thing on Earth would resemble what my father did was Capoeira, but this was a bit different.

It was….

It was a bit hard to describe, but…. More…..

Hmmm….

I'd say it's more complicated, and faster…..

But that was my thought, who am I to compare the two?

"... My moves got me infamous in the network of hunters, especially so when it was geared more towards '_killing_' human opponents. I will be teaching you this, but feel free to incorporate your own style into it. That _is_ how the Valentino Dance evolved to what it is now."

This…

This was amazing, it honestly helped me in the style I wanted to go for.

"So, in order for you to even try the basics, I'm going to work you to the bones, for the next 9 years."

Dad smiled at me. Eyes squinting into a thin line, the corner of his mouth reaching up to his ears. His pale porcelain-like skin only made the smile more unsettling.

For the first time I saw, it wasn't a fatherly gentle smile.

No.

This was a smile of someone who was going to enjoy making someone suffer. It was a sadistic condescending smile from people that like to fuck around with others.

"I hope you're not regretting your decision to start training this early."

…..

Shit.

Fuck me.

* * *

_**I guess that's the end of him being a child!**_

_**Next chapter will have a time skip to him being 16, do some minor shit, and then time skip again to 18.**_

_**Hope you guys are ok with that!**_

_**Big thanks to merendinoemiliano! They gave me feedback about the lack of effort in the descriptions and gave me pointers on how to start improving!**_

_**This may not be much of an improvement in descriptions, but mark my words, I will improve.**_


	5. And his name is Magenta Valentine!

_Signal Academy!_

_One of the first of many schools for those that have decided to enter the world of fighting!  
Where youths starting__ from the age of 13 train until they are 17!  
This is their first __「__stage__」__, their first __「__test__」__!  
Glory! Fame! Power! Money! The hearts of the people!  
The first __「__Step__」 __to become a Hunter!  
The first __「__Napkin__」 __for them to take!_

_3 youths will be entering this __「__stage__」__, to take their first __「__Napkin__」__!  
Today!_

"_Yang, Magenta, come on! You'll be late to the entrance test!_

_Black hair that shifts gently into red at the tip!  
Hair that reaches down only chin, few tufts sticking out to the sides, front, and back!  
Fair skin that looks like it had been untouched by the harshness of light!  
Red sleeveless hoodie and black knee-length skirt!  
The colour is matched by her black shoes with scarlet socks!  
Only reaching the chest of the other youths entering the front entrance of Signal Academy!_

_**Ruby Rose  
Age: 11  
Title: The red hooded child  
Level: 15  
Hp: 1,020/1,020  
Aura: [Locked]  
Vajra: [Locked]  
Str: 15  
Vit: 15  
Dex: 22  
Mnt: 2  
Int: 18  
Wis: 20  
Chr: 16**_

_This was Ruby Rose, age 11!_

"_Wait up, Ruby! You're not the one that's trying to get into Signal Academy today!"_

"_I knooow~, but I don't you guys to fail, just because you guys were too late to take!"_

_Golden hair that faintly glowed in the sun!  
Reaching down to her chest, few tufts curl in and out like the corona of the sun!  
Unlike her sister's casual clothes, the wheat-brown vest and orange shirt, and black skinny shorts indicate that she means war!  
It's made clearer by the lilac socks and black military boots!  
Even in the sun, the fairness of her skin challenges Ruby's!  
She stands head to head with most of the youths that have also decided to take the test!_

_**Yang Xiao Long  
Age: 13  
Title: The rising sun-drake  
Level: 24  
Hp: 1,520/1,520  
Aura: 1,085/1,085  
Vajra: [Locked]  
Str: 34 (26 + 30%)  
Vit: 31 (24 + 30%)  
Dex: 30 (23 + 30%)  
Mnt: 12  
Int: 20  
Wis: 18  
Chr: 23**_

_This was Yang Xiao Long, sister of Ruby Rose! Age 13!_

"_Don't you worry about that, Ruby. I'm confident that we will __「__pass__」__, even if we're a good 5 minutes later than others."_

_Straight pink hair, glowing neon in the cloudless sunny sky, that reaches his cheeks!  
His forehead is covered by a cyan headband, with a purple swirling pattern checkering it!  
Few accessories, like a golden feather, or small pearls, dangle quietly on the sides of the headband!  
Unlike the subdued colours and subtle clothings of his friends, he goes out flamboyantly, explosively!  
Magenta nylon jacket, with the coat length only reaching down mid-way between his chests and the bottom of his ribs!  
Underneath the unbuttoned jacket is a violet sleeveless shirt, that reaches down to his waist!  
Black skinny jeans are complemented by black shoes and pink socks!  
His knees, elbows, shoulders and chest are protected by guards, that are tinted rose gold!  
The chestplate of his armour covers ¼ of a leather holster!  
And the holsters are storing not guns, not knives, but balls!  
2 Green, __「__Steel__」 __balls! Waiting proudly, on both of his sides!  
His face is fair and pale, though darker than __Ruby's or Yang's!  
He measures a good half a foot taller than the other youths his age!_

_**Chapter 5: And his name is Magenta Valentine!**_

* * *

The Academy was a lot smaller than Beacon, and less extravagant.

But that didn't mean it wasn't grand.

The academy itself was one building: smooth and circular in shape. It was marble white and sky-blue, and it had been segmented into three areas: The lower floors, the middle floors, and the top floors.

It was like a conical pyramid.

It was a lot less intimidating to look at than Beacon, though. And I'd say that was intentional.

After all, most of the people that came here were simply kids that were just starting to become Hunters-in-training.

"Come on, Magenta! What are you doing, just staring like that! We have to go!"

"Yeah, Pinkie! We're actually going to be late now!"

"Shit, coming!"

I quickly broke away from looking at the top of the school, and quickly ran to catch up with Ruby and Yang.

The front entrance of the school had a sign driven into the ground.

**Entrance Test participants: Please wait inside the lobby.**

We quickly ran inside the school.

Luckily, we weren't late. We went to the front desk to register for the entrance test, and the man on the front desk gave us a piece of paper (Yang said B-13, mine said D-17). We sat on the chairs that were lining up the walls, and waited.

While we were waiting, my parents arrived, and took Ruby with them to the visitors' section.

After a few minutes of staying silent, Yang decided to strike a conversation with me.

"So…. what do you think?"

"About what?"

"About the test. What do you think it's going to be?"

"... Well, either we're pitted against each other, or against the Grimms."

Yang simply frowned at my thoughts, and sighed.

"... If we're pit against each other, then I really hope I'm not pitted against you…"

I simply gave her a smirk.

"Oh, getting soft for me, are we?"

Yang groaned.

"You know it's not that! It's just…."

I leaned my head closer to her, the smirk on my mouth growing closer.

"Just what, Yang? What could possibly be having you wish that you weren't fighting me?"

The blonde girl just glared at me.

"... You know why…"

"I really don't, so I want to know why."

She simply leered at me smirking. She was grinding her teeth now. Her cheek was glowing with a tint of light pink from the embarrassment.

"Because I never got to beat you in our spar! Even when I was going all out, even when I was using my semblance! I mean, you keep switching from standing on your feets to your hands, and you're just dodging or blocking all my punches! I never got to hit you, not even once!"

She crossed her arms and simply turned away from me. Her lilac iris bled into crimson. Her hair was starting to glow incandescently.

"Hey Yang, do you know why?"

She remained silent, but I continued.

"It's because you just charge in, without any thoughts. You just try to punch at what you're seeing. You really don't plan ahead."

"..."

"I mean, you're really _really_ predictable. I could tell what you're going to do, just from how you step in: How you're going to punch, which arm you're going to punch with, and which part of the body you can't protect or dodge. In fact, you don't even dodge, you just take the hit. You rely too much on your semblance, and you think that those hits are nothing if you can just shoulder through it and punch me. That's half the reason why you keep losing, because you keep thinking you can resist the 「Spin」."

She whipped her head back to me as soon as I mentioned the 「Spin」.

"Yeah actually, I really wanted to ask you! What the heck's with your semblance!? I mean, it makes a ball constantly spin and it makes my arms and legs turn the other way!"

"It's not a semblance. It's the 「Spin」."

"...Wait, what?"

"It's not my semblance, I learnt it. It's an ancient mistrali martial art."

"... What?"

"I taught my dad how to use it too."

"... And you never told us!?"

"You never asked."

Yang's mouth was left agape, wide-eyed. Her brows slowly furrowed as she took this revelation all in.

I gave her a moment to take it all in, before I continued.

"As I was saying, you're strong. But you're too goddamn predictable."

"... Geeze, ok fine… I get it, I'm easy to read."

"You're like a bull in a Torero. You just look at your target and charge at it. It's really easy to lead you in a circle, you know."

"I said I get it!... Geez, way to rub salt in the wound…"

She was huffing as she turned her entire chair away from me.

"... But, you know, you aren't the easiest opponent to fight."

She turned her head slowly to look at me, one eyebrow raised.

"Are you just saying that to cheer me up, or are you telling the truth."

"I'm telling the truth. I really am."

"... Really?"

"Yeah, I mean there's Ruby, who can't even punch properly. But so long as she's still bad at hand-to-hand combat, you're not the easi-"

_**BAM!**_

I was cut off from speaking by Yang throwing a punch at my shoulder. It stung like shit, but she didn't punch hard enough to have it bruised.

I was more focused on her frowning and glaring at me, teeth bared in anger.

"I just _KNEW_ you were going to say that!"

I could do nothing but laugh at her.

I noticed other participants looking at us; some boys glaring at us especially, flaring with jealousy.

My laughter settled down as I looked back at Yang. She was now looking at the floor, her angry frowning was trying to hide her nervousness and anxiety.

"….. Yang."

"What." She answered flatly and concisely.

"... You'll do fine, you won't have to worry about a thing."

"Easy for you to say."

"It is easy for me to say, because I know how you fight."

"..."

"I know how hard your punches are, and how fast you throw them. While I don't like to toot my own horns, I'm pretty sure I'm the only boy around your age that you didn't get to win against."

She turned her waist around. Her eyes were back to being lilac.

"That's because the other boys don't really put up a fight."

"And I know that the guys here will, and I know that you'll get up just fine."

"..." She was looking at me with her eyes half-squinted, expecting me to tease her like last time. I looked back at her with a serious expression, face intent on showing that I wasn't joking around this time.

"Yang. Remember. It doesn't matter how hard you throw your punches. Life, and everything it throws at you, can't just be solved by punching as hard as you can. What matters is how hard of a punch you can take, and stand back on your two feet. Yang, keep this in mind. Life is 「unforgiving」. It doesn't pick favourites, it doesn't pull back on its punches. And when it starts to dish out hits against you, you have to 「Stand」 back up. You have to 「Stand」 back up and throw punches back. You can fall, it's inevitable that everyone will fall someday. Sometimes, the hit from life will make your legs shake. The hit from life will make your arms weak. But remember, just because you fell, doesn't mean you can't stand back up. I don't care if it takes you seconds to get back or, or minutes, hours, days. Hell, I don't care if it takes you months or years. Get ready to stand back up and grin at the bastard we call 「the world」. Get ready to punch its teeth in."

Yang silently looked at me, mulling over my words.

"So, what does that have anything to do with today? I'm saying that whatever they throw at you today: Grimms, those girls over there-" I pointed at the girls that were talking to themselves, before looking at me pointing at them. They simply frowned at me."-, those boys that have been staring at you for the past 10 minutes or so-" I pointed at them, and they all instinctively turned their heads to other directions, trying to avoid Yang's gaze. Yang simply smirked at them. "-or even me. You're going to take their hits, and you're going to stand back up and punch them back. Understand?"

Yang's eyes softened. She gently smiled at me.

"...Yeah, I understand."

Her gentle smile turned into a confident smirk as she started to bump her fist together.

"I'll take their hits, stand back up, and beat them to the ground!" She announced confidently. She looked at me with a grin.

"And I won't be going easy on you, just because you went all _'old wizard'_ on me!"

"... Considering that you never won against me, I think I'm the one that's supposed to say that."

"... Buzzkill…"

We both giggled at each other. Heavy footsteps started to echo out of the hallway on the right of the lobby desk. And a figure: a teacher of the school, walked out of the hallway and into the lobby.

It was uncle Vienna.

"Welcome to Signal Academy!" Uncle Vienna shouted in confidence and authority. "We will no longer be taking any more participants, and the entrance test has now started! The participants would have gotten a slip of paper from the front desk: A letter, and a number!" He pulled out a slip of paper, length and width the same as ours.

"When I call out the letter that is on your paper, you will be following me in a straight orderly fashion! Those that have finished their test can head to the visitor's section to watch the rest of the participants in their attempt!" He waited a few moments.

"Now, those with the letter 'A', form a straight orderly line, and follow me!"

Kids started to hastily get into a line, and started to follow Uncle Vienna.

When they all left, Yang leaned in.

"Do you really think they're gonna pit us against each other?"

"It's the most likely choice, with all the categorisation and having us forms lines."

"... Then I guess I'm not fighting you today."

"Oh, is that 「relief」 I hear in your voice?"

"... I will hit you again."

I simply snickered, as we waited for our turn to come.

Uncle Vienna came in again.

"Those with the letter 'B', repeat what 'A' did and follow me!"

Kids started to stand up and form lines, and Yang soon started to follow.

"Welp, guess it's my turn. Wish me luck, Pinkie!"

She grinned as she started to walk over to the forming line.

"I don't think you'll need it."

Yang simply groaned.

"Come on, just humour me for a bit here."

I smiled at her, and gave her a thumbs up.

"Good luck, and break their legs!"

The 'B' kids simply glared at me. They were already on edge, they didn't need the Pink haired clown deciding the fate of their limbs.

Yang simply laughed at me, before walking off into the hallway.

I simply closed my eyes, crossed my legs, and waited for my turn to come.

….

"...All right! Those with the letter 'D'! Follow me!"

It was my turn now. I took a deep breath and stood up. I was joining in the line as I looked at the rest of the 'D' kids. They were looking around as well, anxiety and caution were written all over their faces.

They were thinking about who they had to fight against.

We started to walk through the hallway, twisting left and right.

We stopped in front of a large entrance. It was like the entrance to a football field.

"I'll give you 5 minutes to prepare." Uncle Vienna spoke out. "Use that time to check your weapons, check your armour, and get your Aura up. Once you step into the arena, you will get the 「rules」 to the entrance test. Best of luck." Uncle Vienna walked into the arena and disappeared from sight.

The kids immediately went to work, grabbing their weapons and getting ready to fight any second now. Few kids started to glow, while others were already trembling. Some were whispering to each other. I didn't have my personal weapon yet: you were supposed to forge them yourself in Signal Academy. But it didn't matter.

I had my steel balls, that packed a lot more punches than the Tennis balls.

And I had my temporary weapon in my pocket, inside my jacket.

"Looking pretty confident there, are those your weapons?"

I heard a mid-toned voice behind me, and I instinctively turned around.

It was a boy with blonde hair. If Yang's hair was like the sun, then this guy's hair was like metallic gold. He had a white T-shirt on, that reached down to his waist. He had a black vest over his white shirt, which had multiple metallic cylindrical containers stuck vertically on the chest area. He had low hanging pants on, with the right leg rolled up and pinned. His belt had more of those cylindrical containers dangling to his sides. He had black basketball sneakers on.

And he was short.

Really short.

Taller than Ruby, though.

But the top of his head only reached up to my chin.

That meant he was about half a head shorter than the average 13-year old.

"..."

He saw my gaze locking on his head, and just laughed.

"I know, I know, I'm short. But you know what they say: it's not about the size, it's how you use it."

I couldn't help but snicker at the guy.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to… you know, make you…. Conscious about it."

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled. He was really lax about it.

"It's fine~ It's fine~. I've been conscious about it for the past 4 years, you pointing it out is nothing now. Besides, you're a good half a head taller than the others, so it lessens the damage."

I chuckled at his relaxed forgivings.

"Heh..heheh… Oh, yeah, to answer your question." I pulled my steel ball out and showed it to him. "These are indeed my weapons, but they're not my only weapon."

He raised one of his eyebrows curiously.

"Oh? And what're the other weapons?"

I winked at him, giving him a smirk.

"Now that's a secret."

"That's fair." He shrugged. "My weapons are… well, these things you are seeing." He pointed at his containers. "Or rather, what's in them."

"What's actually in them?" I was curious.

"You'll have to see when we go into the arena." He shot back the wink and smirk.

He then extended his hand to me.

"I'm Vegas Dandelion, by the way."

_**Vegas Dandelion  
Age: 13  
Title: Casino-King  
Level: 32  
Hp: 1,820/1,820  
Aura: 2,485/2,485  
Vajra: [Locked]  
Str: 41.6 (32 + 30%)  
Vit: 31.2 (24 + 30%)  
Dex: 41.6 (32 +30%)  
Mnt: 12  
Int: 34  
Wis: 32  
Chr: 20**_

I grabbed his hand and shook it firmly. Giving him a smile.

"Magenta Valentine. Let's hope that both of us get into this school."

"Agreed."

An announcement blasted through the Hallway.

"**Would Participants 'D' enter the arena, please."**

Vegas turned to look at me.

"Guess it's our turn to shine now."

I turned to look at him, patting his back as we walked out of the entrance.

"But of course, let's give them a show."

The arena was circular, right in the middle of the building. It really was built like a football field, or a colosseum. The seats were filled with spectators, who were protected in a wall of transparent hard-light constructs, enveloping the edge of the arena and separating it from the spectator's seats.

"Go Magenta~!"

"Go Pinkie~!"

Ruby and Yang were calling out to me, cheering me on. I could feel embarrassment creeping up my face, as I simply waved at them and turned away.

"Jesus, I didn't know you already had a girlfriend."

Vegas raised his eyebrows, giving out a short whistle and looking at me.

I just looked at him with a blank stare.

"They're my childhood friends." I deadpanned.

"That's what they say one moment, then they're caught kissing each other in the next. Come on, no need to deny it."

"... I'll hit you."

"Hehehe."

The entire arena suddenly boomed with a voice, making all of us keep our mouth shut and listen.

"_**Greetings. I am Cloud Cielo, the Headmaster of Vale. First off, I would like to welcome you all to my school. I see all of you, gleaming with life, gleaming with a fire to fight."**_

I saw a few kids smile, while others puffed their chest up with pride.

"_**Today, you will learn that life, and the fire to fight will be useless against the world you will be stepping into. Nothing more than wasted energy. And it is already ascertained that some of you, who had entered with hope and dreams, will fail the test, and return home a failure."**_

The kids were already getting uneasy. Those that were trembling back in the hallway were already having their legs shaking.

"_**As you take this test, remember: Those who cannot fight, cannot survive."**_

I saw Vegas slowly take 2 containers from his chest, and grip them in each hand.

The staff members entered the Arena, each carrying a box lined neatly with scrolls.

"_**Each of you will be given a scroll, pre-registered with your name and Participant letter-number. You are to keep it on you at all times during the test. These are to be returned to the staff members once the test is over."**_

The staff members were going around us, handing us a scroll.

"_**Here are the rules: All of you will be fighting Grimms. You will be gaining points for every Grimm you kill, or take part in the killing."**_

Point for killing blows and kill assists. Sweet.

"_**The Grimms will be released in waves: The difficulty increases as the waves are sent. If you no longer deemed able to fight, or protect yourself, the Staff members will step in and escort you out of the Arena. There should also be a tab on your scroll: you can tap on the tab to forfeit the fight."**_

Everyone else started to get ready for the fight. I started to take out my steel balls from my holster.

It wasn't going to be like last time, when I first fought the Grimms.

I improved in my Aura control.

I improved in my 「Spin」.

I trained my ass off for the past 5 years.

I was Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.

….

And I developed brand new Mantras for these Grimms to see.

"_**Best of luck, aspiring hunters. The test will start in 5…"**_

_**4…..**_

I saw Vegas crouching down, getting ready to open the containers.

_**3…...**_

I started to 「Spin」 the steel balls.

_**2….**_

We all waited in bated breath. The staff members were waiting, the weapons drawn and ready.

_**1….**_

The gates in front of us opened.

_**START!**_

Hordes of Grimms started to rush out of the gates.

For the first wave, they were all Beowolves.

_**[Horde] Beowolves**_

_**Average Level: 15**_

_**Individual HP: 280/280**_

All of us started charging at the incoming horde.

_**New Goal created!**_

_**Objective: Pass the test**_

_**Optional Objective: Place 1st place**_

_**Reward: 15,000 Exp, Title: [Signal Initiate]**_

_**Optional Reward: +500 Fame, 15,000 Exp, Title: [Top of Signal]**_

I threw one of the balls, straight into the crowd of beasts.

The ball soared through the air, spinning.

It shot through the beowolves, leaving holes in their heads and chests.

The steel ball ended up lodged into a bone plate of a beowolf, the rotational inertia and the 「Spin」 causing the Beowolf to twist its claws sharply into the throat of another Grimm.

_**You killed 10 Beowolves!**_

_**+1 X (10) = +10 Points!**_

I saw other kids rushing in, stabbing and slicing at the black wolves. Some raised their shields to protect themselves, or bash in the Beowolves' heads. Some rushed in with lances, dragging the Grimms through the dirt with them.

The steel ball spun in the air, back into my hand.

Gunshots ringing in the air told me some decided to stay behind and shoot from cover.

A Grimm ran up to me, trying to swipe as I was looking around.

As soon as it brought its claws down to strike me, I immediately dropped to the floor, landing on my hand.

And sweep-kick the beast in the ribs.

Enhanced with Aura, the Grimm was effortlessly cleaved into two.

I swiftly turned to my feet, throwing the other steel ball at the horde.

_**You killed 12 Beowolves!**_

_**+1 X (12) = +12 Points!**_

The Grimm horde was thinning quickly. But they weren't the only ones who were losing numbers.

Participants were starting to get escorted out by the staff members, either because they were no longer deemed able to fight, or because they were forfeiting.

I was ready to push on, and apparently so was Vegas.

I was too busy fighting to pay attention to my new friend, so I wasn't able to see how he fought. All I saw was him throwing away his empty containers after the first wave was finished. The ground in his direction was sparkling.

* * *

The 2nd and 3rd wave was finished without any injuries.

For me and Vegas, anyway.

Number of Participants still fighting was halved. We could see some of them going to the spectator's seat to watch the rest of us fight.

Empty canisters were littered around Vegas, who was pulling out 2 containers on his belt.

I still didn't see what he did, but the disintegrating corpses of Grimms near him were filled with holes.

It honestly could evoke trypophobia if one looked at the corpse long enough.

"How many did you kill?"

Vegas asked as he started to walk up to me. He was taking deep breaths.

There was some time left for wave 4 to start. It was enough for us to get prepared.

It was pretty exhausting, and we didn't know when the test would end.

Maybe it didn't, so long as there was a participant standing.

I quickly pulled out the scroll.

_**59 Beowolves (+1): 59 points**_

_**23 Ursas (+2): 46 Points**_

_**59+46= 105 Points**_

"59 Beowolves, and 23 Ursas. How 'bout you?"

"81 Beowolves, and 12 Ursas."

"Shit, guess point-wise we're even."

"...Guess we are. 105 points?"

"105 points."

We were both silently standing next to each other, looking at the gates. We were both taking heavy breaths.

"I was thinking….." I spoke up first.

"...? About What?"

"About this whole test. I think there's something more to it than what we were thinking."

"... I'm all ears, let's hear it."

"It was bothering me while I was fighting. About the rules."

"What's wrong?"

"If I remember correctly, he said that point was given for every killing blow and kill assists. He also talked about the waves, and how if we are deemed unable to continue, or forfeit, we'll be escorted out. I'm remembering this correctly, right?"

"That's how I remember it."

"Then there's something we're overlooking."

"And what do you think we're overlooking?"

"The 「condition」 for us to pass the 「test」."

"... You had my interest, but now you have my full attention."

"He told us about taking part in killing Grimms giving us points. He never told us what the points were for. We all assumed we had to get enough points to pass, but that's just us assuming."

"... I'm starting to see your point."

"For all we know, more points could make us 「less」 likely to succeed. Of course, this is just an example. I don't actually think more points will actually make us less likely to pass."

"Then what do you think the points are for?"

"「Ranking」. Nothing more, and nothing less. It's just there to make us think, motivate us, and or simply categorise our 「Fighting Capability」."

"Then what do you think is going to let us pass?"

"Well first off, let's see what they are doing: They are 「gathering」 us into an Arena, and making us fight the Grimms. They have been putting us not against each other, but against the Grimms. 「Us」 vs 「Grimms」, 「Participants」 vs 「School」."

Vegas simply raised an eyebrow, rolling his eyes around in thought. He raised his index finger up.

"I think I'm getting what you're saying, but please explain for clarification and confirmation."

"First off, with all this information given to you, what do you think?"

"... What do I think?"

Vegas sighed crossed his arm.

"First off, what you told me made me think: This is a Hunter academy. There's more to being able to fight to be a hunter. You need to be able to think, and learn to protect people. Learning how to fight is easy; it's learning how to have a heart and mindset of a hunter that's difficult, so they're trying to test that in some way. They can always teach us how to fight Grimms at school: We do have 3 to 4 years of it. So this test isn't just testing how well we fight."

He uncrossed his arms and shrugged his shoulders.

"But that's all I could confidently say."

"You're in the same mindset as I am. I think they're trying to see how we 「act」."

"How we act?"

"Yeah. First off, we're not just fighting the Grimms by ourselves: We have 「other」 participants in the 「fight」 as well."

"...Ooooh….."

"We're not being judged by our 「fighting prowess」. Well, we are, but it's not the main thing they're looking for in us: They're seeing how well we 「act together」."

"... How well we 「cooperate」 with each other…"

"Exactly. With our numbers dwindling down, and the difficulty of the Grimm hordes increasing, the test is going to get harder and harder for us; _if_, we fight alone. I see a hint for this in the rules Mr. Cielo gave us as well."

"... The point system ..."

"You're onto it. You saw the points given on your scroll. It doesn't matter if you were only distracting it or dealing the final blow: You get the same amount of points either way. It's there so that cooperation doesn't impede you earning your points. But I think a lot of us failed to see that. They were too 「focused」 on getting their points, because they assumed getting the most points meant that you passed. Some even resorted to sabotaging other participants, and I'm sure they automatically failed."

"I get your point. Hunters need to know how to act together."

"Exactly. Hunters may fight, but they don't compete with each other. They're both working for the same goal, competing with each other is counterproductive: it's a detrimental quality. And then there's the other quality they're trying to look for."

"And what's that?"

"It's like you said: we need to be able to think. They're seeing us how we 「act」. They're assessing our 「judgement」."

"You mean how we assess the situation?"

"Not only that, but how we assess ourselves: Hunters, in order to live, need to know what they 「can do」 and 「can't do」. We need to know our 「limit」. That's why he told us about the 「forfeit」. Trying to stand up, again and again, is indeed an important quality, but that becomes useless if we're not aware of the situation, and ourselves. If we don't lose anything from running away, then that's obviously the better choice than dying while you're trying to fight."

"... So that's why he said tapping the tab would have you forfeit the fight…"

"Correct, he didn't say it would have you forfeit the 「test」, just the 「fight」. He's seeing if we know our limits in this fight."

"I see…."

"So, on that note: I would like to make a 「request」."

"If it's about teaming up, then I'm all ears. It's actually getting difficult to fight these things, and you just convinced me that cooperation is best."

"Perfect."

The gates started to open as we finished talking, and a group smaller than the last waves of Grimms started to emerge.

All of them were Ursas.

Vegas was the first to speak.

"My weapon doesn't have the extra oomph against these guys, so I'm gonna need help!"

"Sure thing, partner."

I threw a steel ball into the horde charging towards us. Their thick hides stopped the ball from going through them like the beowolves.

But that wasn't my intention.

The ball hit an Ursa, directly in the stomach. The 「Spin」 caused the hunching beast to turn and twist, hitting its brethrens with its outstretched arms, and tripped up those behind it. The crowd helplessly slid to the floor, entangled with each other.

"I got them tripped, but they won't stay down for long!" I shouted to Vegas.

"It's all the time I need!" He shouted back confidently. He crouched down and opened the canisters in his hands, elbows at his waist.

Inside the canister was nothing but small disks, minted and plated in shining gold.

Coins

They were coins

And they were the reason why the ground near Vegas was always sparkling at the end of each wave.

He took aim, and I saw his eyes gleaming green.

And then I heard metal clanging together.

And saw the coins flying out of the canister at the speed of a bullet.

He was using his bare hands to fire these coins at the Ursas

The coins, like bullets fired from a machine gun, rapidly bombarded the restrained Grimms. It didn't break their hide, but the force from the coins slowly forced the entangled mass to be pushed back.

And then, enough force in a concentrated spot finally broke a bit of their hide.

And that was all Vegas needed to kill the behemoths.

The golden tokens dug into their wounds, driving deep inside. The numbers of coins fired into them grew, before they were pushed out the other side.

The Ursa mass was starting to get riddled with holes like a beehive.

_**You killed 15 Ursas!**_

_**+2 X (15) = +30 points!**_

_**You killed 8 Ursas!**_

_**+2 X (8) = +16 points!**_

Another herd of Ursas jumped out behind the dead pile.

I repeated the process by throwing my other steel ball towards them, having them fall in front of its dead brethren.

They too, got the same treatment as them.

_**You killed 20 Ursas!**_

_**+2 X (20) = +40 points!**_

_**You killed 6 Ursas!**_

_**+2 X (6) = +12 points!**_

We both heard stomping to our left. Vegas's eyes went wide in surprise.

"MAGENTA, YOUR LEFT!"

Ruby's voice synched in with Vegas's, as I turned to see an Ursa bringing its claws down towards me.

I quickly dashed into its torso, the lunge in its claws was too far to hit me now, or bring it back to its body.

I quickly reached into my jacket, and pulled out my secret weapon.

_**SHAAASSSSHIIIN!**_

I slashed at Ursa's throat, using my newly improved 'Aura Reinforcement(周)' Mantra to concentrate my aura into my weapon in hand, enhancing its sharpness.

Black gunk sprayed out from the Ursa's throat, and I jumped kicked into its chest, pushing it away from me and having it fall on its back. It flailed its limbs in an effort to stand back up, but to no avail. Its limbs slowly stopped moving.

The edge of my weapon was covered in black gunk, and it was open for everyone in the Arena, including the spectators, to see.

Vega stopped his firing to look at me, brows furrowed and his mouth failing to close.

"... Are you fucking kidding me?" He finally spoke.

"What?"

"Jesus fucking christ, that's your secret weapon?" He deadpanned

"Hey, you kept your coins to yourself as if it was an Atlas military-state secret project."

"Yeah, but these were specially tailored for me so that I can fire them faster than an average gun! I can tell from the pictures on them that those are just playing cards you can get for only 2Ⱡ in the fucking toy store in the Patch City Mall!" He hissed out.

I gave him a blank stare and a shrug from my shoulders.

He looked to the skies and sighed.

"...Unbelievable….. Fucking, Unbelievable…"

"I mean, it works as well as I expected."

"... Yeah, actually, let me ask you about that! How the fuck does that work!?"

"What works what now?"

He pointed to the dead Grimm with a slit throat.

"It fucking takes me a bitch and a half with my coins to put a hole in these guys, so how did a fucking flimsy piece of cardboard paper slice through these things like a hot knife on butter!?"

I looked at the dead Ursa, then to my card, and back to Vegas.

"What else would it be? It's Aura."

"Bull. Shit. No amount of Aura is going to turn a fucking 20Ⱡ playing card into a fucking state of the art knife!"

I pointed at him, giving him a smile that only showed my upper teeth.

"That's where you're wrong, kiddo."

Vegas stared at me, dumbstruck.

"... You know what, fuck it. I'll ask you how later."

"Sure."

He turned to the horde of Ursas that were charging at the other participants, and continued with his firing. The kids were simply taking a defensive stance, getting ready to either block, fight, or run. But they wouldn't have to choose either of those options anymore.

The steel balls finally spun in the air, and back into my hands. I put one back into my holster as I threw the other ball at the horde.

Taking the opportunity of them getting pinned by each other, I split the deck of cards into a quarter, and threw the 13 cards at the vulnerable horde. The cards flew in a curved trajectory, lodging themselves into the Ursas, and making wounds for the coins to shoot into.

The combined efforts neutralised the Ursas faster than the last 2.

_**You killed 17 Ursas!**_

_**+2 X (17) = +34 points!**_

_**You killed 18 Ursas!**_

_**+2 X (18) = +36 points!**_

"Jesus Christ, that was fast," Vegas remarked. "How many was that?"

"Counting from the start of the round? About… 84 Ursas, so 168 Points."

"Shit, that's a lot."

"It really is, isn't it."

The other participants were clearing out the remaining Ursas: Some of them taking an Ursa in groups, while others cleared them out alone.

The 4th wave was over.

Vegas sat down next to me and pulled out his scroll.

"So, counting the numbers of points we just got, we should be at..."

I crouched down next to Vegas and whipped out my scroll as well.

"... 273 points."

"Yep, I'm at 273 points."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say we're in the lead."

"Yeah, I saw the other kids fighting only one or two Ursas right now."

We both looked to the remaining Participants in the Arena.

If we included ourselves, we only had 7 left standing.

"... I guess we don't have that many waves to survive through now." Vegas commented nonchalantly.

"If we're lucky, the 5th could be the last wave." I added in.

Red screens suddenly started to pop up in front of my eyes.

_**[DANGER!]**_

_**[WARNING!]**_

_**[DANGER!]**_

_**[WARNING!]**_

_**[INCOMING BOSS!]**_

_**[INCOMING BOSS!]**_

Shit, that wasn't good.

_**THUMP THUMP THUMP!**_

The gate on the north side of the Arena started to bend due to the hits from whatever was behind it.

The Staff members were starting to inch closer into the Arena, weapons drawn in front of them, getting ready to jump in and protect the kids.

Vegas and I quickly stood up, getting ready to fight the beast on the other side.

The gate finally opened, and out came the beast, running full speed into the arena before stopping in front of us.

It was built like a tank, and I wasn't exaggerating.

Its arms were thick, we couldn't see where its wrists were exactly placed.

Wide and thick plates of bone covered its forearms, forehead, and back. Spikes were protruding out from its spine, knees and elbows.

It had a singular horn protruding out between its yellow eyes.

It turned to look at all of us, and roared in savage and ferocious anger.

_**Alpha Beowolf  
[The advancing chariot]  
Species: Grimm  
Type: Bestial  
Level: 47  
Hp: 23,000/23,000**_

We both stared at it.

Vegas slowly turned to me and spoke.

"... The fuck you talking about us being lucky?"

"... Shit, sorry."


	6. Break through this 「Test」!

"Should we fight this thing, or do you think it's best if we forfeit?" Vegas asked nervously. He was keeping his eyes on the Beast we saw before us.

2 Participants forfeited the match, quickly getting escorted out of the Arena by 4 staff members. The Alpha Beowolf didn't budge from its spot, simply looking at the 6 people disappearing out of the arena.

"... What do you think we should do?" I asked back. The Alpha Beowolf was already making me remember The Starved Hound.

Yang was also remembering the abomination, and the two guards at its side. She was starting to feel uneasy, as sweat started to form on the sides of her face. She was secretly hoping that I would forfeit, that I wouldn't push myself like that again, and just come back with harm.

But this was different.

I'm stronger now.

I'm faster now.

I have more Aura.

I have better Weapons.

I wasn't alone here.

I could do this.

….

I had to do this.

"... I want to hear what you want to do. If you forfeit, it's clear I'm no match for it either, so I'll forfeit as well…"

"... Do you think you could listen to what I'm about to say?"

He looked at me, frowning. He thought this wasn't the right time and he was right, but I had to get this off of my chest. He sighed, relenting to my request.

"... Make it quick…."

"Back when I was 8, I nearly died. It was this giant Grimm called The Starved Hound, it was more of a demon from hell than anything. Looking at the beowolf, it's bringing back those unpleasant memories." I kept my attention on the Alpha Beowolf as I was talking. The other 3 kids were starting to slowly inch closer to the Beowolf, weapons ready to strike the beast.

"And that's when I realized," I continued. "This is a 「test」. This is a 「test」 to see if I really grew. A person can only confidently say that they have grown, if they defeat their past self: their weaker self. If I don't take this 「test」, then it's going to scratch at the back of my head for my entire life: I won't be able to sleep soundly anymore. Because denying this 「fate」 will mean that I have given up, that I'm proving to myself that I will always be 「weak」."

My eyes left our final obstacle, to look at my new friend.

"I can't allow that. Could you, if this thought was in your head?"

Sweat rolled down Vegas's face. He understood what I was saying, and he knew what my decision would be.

"... So we're doing this?" Vegas asked for confirmation.

"...Yeah," I confirmed. We both held up our weapons, and charged into our 「test」. "We're going too…"

_**Chapter 6: Break through this **__**「**__**Test**__**」**__**!**_

* * *

The beast was many things: It was fast, it was tough: the black hide left exposed by its white armor was thicker than the Ursas, it was strong: the swings it made caused craters to form on the dirt ground.

But worst of all, it was smart.

Enough experience it had accumulated to survive stopped it from charging blindly into us, and it was slowly pinpointing which of us was the crack in the wall; the weakest link.

Whenever we tried to keep our distance and shoot at its plates, it quickly charged at us with the intent on disrupting our fire. One participant tried to protect the rifleman with their shield, but the Grimm grabbed onto the shield and threw the kid, having him slide across the ground.

Every rush it made towards us felt like it was a carriage.

I repeatedly targeted a single spot on its arm with my steel balls, and I managed to make a small area on its arm cave in, but that didn't deal that much damage to the Grimm.

But that wasn't my intention.

I let the steel ball stay in the crater of its white armored arm, as I outstretched my hand towards it, index finger raised to the sky, and quickly flicked my finger to me.

Then everyone saw the arm of the Grimm suddenly get pulled me, dragging the rest of the body with it.

The Grimm, unexpected by the sudden force pulling its arm, stumbled onto the ground. The other kids saw the opening and immediately fired at the Grimm.

The opening didn't stay for long, as it quickly pulled its arms back, with enough force for me to falter. I stumbled on the crater it made during the first few fights, and the Grimm saw the moment to strike.

All I saw was its left arm turn into a blur, and I felt a strong impact on the right side of my body.

* * *

Yang and Ruby watched on as Magenta and Vega joined in the fight. They were starting to get worried about their friend's wellbeing. They turned to see that Orchid and Lily simply watched their son with a neutral expression, not showing fear, or worries for their son.

They were confident that their son would be fine.

"Yang…" Ruby placed her hands on her sister's, trying to comfort her.

"..." Yang simply turned to look at Ruby. Ruby was just as worried as she was, but she was trying her best to believe that Magenta would know what to do.

"Magenta's gonna be fine, I'm sure of it."

"I want to believe that too, but this is new to us! No one got up to wave 5! Heck, I only got up to wave 3!"

"I know," Ruby said gently. "This is the furthest the entire kids got up to, and I'm sure Magenta will beat that thing in no time!" Ruby cheered confidently, holding a strong belief of Magenta's abilities and capabilities.

"You're probably right, Ruby, but…" Yang removed her hand out of her sisters to point at the Alpha Beowolf. "... Last time he went up against an Alpha Beowolf ..." Her sentence was left unfinished as she hung her neck down. She felt guilty for being reckless, dragging Magenta in to save them, and nearly got killed in their stead. She felt a small hand rub her back, just like how Summer did it to comfort the girls.

"But it's not like last time, Yang!" Ruby proclaimed. "He's stronger, and faster, and smarter!"

"Ruby's right, Yang." Orchid announced, watching his son with his arms crossed. "My son isn't as weak and fragile as you think, I'm sure you experienced that first hand."

"Yeah!" Ruby exclaimed with bright cheerful eyes. "Besides, if anything goes wrong, Uncle Qrow and Uncle Vienna's here to save him again!"

Yang simply closed her eyes and sighed. It wasn't going to be like last time, she thought, trying to convince herself.

Yeah, Magenta knew what he was doing.

In fact, I don't think he's even gonna get hit by that poor do-

_**BTAAAAAAUUUUUUNG!**_

"_MAGENTA!" _She heard Vegas shout out.

_**BAKIIIIIING!**_

She heard the glass in front of her slam, and opened her eyes in fright.

In front of the 4 spectators was Magenta, slammed into the hard light wall. His right cheek was pushed into the wall, and he was slowly sliding down.

"_MAGENTA!" _5 people, Vegas included, were shouting out the pink-haired youth's name. "_ARE YOU OK!?"_

Magenta did nothing but turn his right hand into a thumbs up for all to see. The staff members were quickly rushing to his side as he slid down to the floor.

* * *

"Oi, Magenta!" Uncle Vienna shouted. "Shit, we're going to have to escort you out, come on!" He started to pull me up and take me to the nearest exit. He was trying to make sure that I was leaning on him, trying to minimize me getting hurt any further. I put my hand on his shoulder and looked at him.

"I'm fine, I can still fight." I told him with a clear and confident voice.

"Don't be stupid, we don't want you ending up lik-" I stopped him mid-sentence as I pulled out my scroll. The bar was down by a quarter, but still in the green.

"Look, I still have more than half my aura. I got plenty more to keep going, so you don't have to worry about me."

Uncle Vienna looked at my scroll, and back at me. He snarled at the situation as he straightened me up.

"I'll be watching, the moment you fall to the floor and can't fight back, I-"

"-You'll be running to me like a knight in shining armor. I understand. I also remember the forfeit tab on the scroll is on my side, if I think the situation gets too bleak." I cut him off mid-sentence. "Now if you'll excuse me, my new friend over there is trying his best not to get his ass handed on a silver platter while I come back to fight." I quickly ran from Uncle Vienna and back to the beast. I pulled out my entire deck of cards -all 52 of them-, and fired them out of my hand, all of them imbued with the 「spin」, along with a little bit of my 「secret」 ability.

_**SHIIIIIUUUNG!**_

Sparking with golden light, the 52 cards flew past Vegas and into the towering beast like guided missiles. The beowolf raised its armored front limbs to block most of them, but some flew under its arms to target its legs, over the arms to target its back, and between the gap in the arms to target its chest, stomach and head.

The cards lodged into the beast's body, spinning in like rogue circular saws, digging in further.

The wounds were only light, though. And the Alpha Beowolf realized this too, as it started to ignore the cardboard nuisances and charged back at the remaining youths.

Vegas started to dodge its swipes, jumping back as far away from it as possible. I quickly ran to stand next to him, readying to throw my steel balls the moment I get the chance to.

"Took you fucking long enough." He snarked, keeping his eyes on the Beowolf.

The other 3 participants weren't taking this situation well, as they were getting hit by the rampant strikes from the bipedal wolf.

1 participant took the hits the worst, he was barely able to stand back up after the savage tank ragdolled him around the arena. The staff members quickly interfered with the Alpha Beowolf's attack, protecting the injured youth with their tower shields and quickly taking the kid out of the arena.

Even with the injuries on its arms and legs, the beast was in a far better condition than the rest of us. We couldn't get past the defense, and it didn't give us the time to break through it.

But luckily, I had a way to immobilize it.

Hell, I already set up the pieces I needed to make it work.

"... Vegas, what would you say is the biggest 「problem」 right now?"

"... Honestly? Let me think about that. Sooo…. It's too tough and strong…... but, with enough patience that shouldn't be a problem….. Actually….. Yeah, I think I got it."

"Let's hear your thoughts."

"The biggest problem is that piece of shit is too goddamn fast. He's fucking dashing to us like a kid in a toy store, and it doesn't give us enough time to break its bone plates."

"Glad you think the same." I pointed at the Beowolf's legs. "You see those black gunk spewing out of its legs?" Vegas followed my fingers to its legs. He raised one eyebrow at me.

"I know what you're trying to do now. You think you can actually cripple it?" Vegas asked.

"More than cripple it, I can pin it down. Temporarily." I answered.

"How long's the temporary?"

"Eeeehh….. I'd say as long as you want."

"... alright, before I say anything any further, I got to ask: that thing you did to your cards-"

"The Aura or the 「Spin」?"

"The 「Spin」. Can you do that to my coins?"

"I can, you got a plan? Cuz I only got up to immobilizing it: the rest is on you."

"I got more than a plan: I got 「victory」."

I smiled at his declaration.

"Overconfident, aren't you?"

He smiled back in response, as he took two canisters from his belt and handed it to me.

"Now, if you would." Vegas asked in a mock posh accent. One canister had a mark of a burning fire on it, while the other one had a lightning bolt stamped on the face of the container.

They had fire and lightning dust in it.

"Couldn't you have used this any sooner?"

"Hey, I saved it for a crucial moment like this, so you shouldn't be complaining."

"... Can't deny that…" I immediately got to work, moving the muscles in my hand to slowly make the coins inside shake with the 「spin」. I threw them back to Vegas once I was done.

"Here, Now if you'll excuse me, I got a dog to cripple." I immediately rushed away from Vegas, and to the Alpha Beowolf.

"Oi, Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee!" I shouted to the other 2 participants, they were all startled and whipped their head back to face me.

"I'm gonna go cripple this wolf, and I want you guys to give everything you got when it falls! Got it!?"

They all stared owlishly at me. But the girl on the right, wielding a spear with a curved blade, quickly nodded at my words and waited for the beast to be immobilized.

I threw my 2 steel balls at its left leg: one ball was spinning clockwise while the other one was spinning anti-clockwise. The two balls struck the ankle and the knee, causing the left leg of the beast to twist and bend grotesquely, threatening to tear the leg apart. The beast started to stumble, turning its waist to face me, and trying to recover its balance and lunge at me.

It only traveled half a distance, right leg outstretched, before being flung back to spot it was at by an unknown force. It started rolling on the floor before being abruptly stopped: like it was pushed back.

Or pulled back in.

In fact, the entire arena saw the Grimm staying on the floor, its stomach touching the ground, the beast struggling by moving its arms and body told them that it was forced to stay like this.

Like it was being pushed down into the ground, pinning the beast.

Or it was stuck to the ground by an adhesive.

_**Mantra: Sticky Fingers  
Level: 21  
**__-Bungee Gum possesses the property of both rubber and gum.- Hisoka Morrow  
__**Effect: Inspired by Hisoka Morrow's 'Bungee Gum' Hatsu, Sticky Fingers has the current effect:**_

_**-Converts your Aura to gain the [Adhesive] and [Elastic] property**_

_**-[Adhesive]: Can stick to any surface, and can be dispelled anytime by your command**_

_**-[Elastic]: Able to stretch and contract to your will**_

_**-Can be used to bind targets**_

_**-Able to be activated from any part of your body, and extended towards a target**_

_**-Damage + Force absorbed by 50%**_

_**-Highly durable to force**_

_**-Can be detached from the main Aura (your body), and Auras detached from the main Aura will only stretch up to 10m**_

_**-The further the Aura stretches, the greater force the contraction will have**_

_**[This Mantra is currently set as your 'Semblance'!]**_

_**-Can be affected by the Mantra: Aura Concealment(**__**隱**__**)**_

_**-Can be augmented by dust**_

_**Aura cost: varies in size of 'Sticky Fingers'**_

Thank god I put this on my cards, or else I never would've been able to pin it down this easily.

_**[You have inflected Alpha Beowolf with the status effect: Pinned!]**_

_**[You have inflected Alpha Beowolf with the status effect: Bind!]**_

To be quite honest, I was glad that I had used the 'Aura Concealment(隱)' Mantra on Sticky Fingers. I didn't want anyone to find out about my Semblance yet.

So all they saw was me using some kind of telekinesis to push the Grimm down.

"Alright people! What are you waiting for!? fire away!"

Vegas immediately got to work, flinging the coins in rapid motion. The 「Spin」 caused the coins to fly out like tiny buzzsaws, quickly finding their place in shells of layered bone plates on the Alpha Beowolf's back. The tiny little coins were shaving away at the plates, slowly digging themselves further in. Then when it dug in deep enough, they started to burst in electricity and flames.

The other 2 immediately followed Vegas's example. They started to run up and find gaps between its armor that exposed its soft, black-furred flesh, and started to unleash hell.

Bullets were flying into the immobilized Grimm, the underside of its body and armpits were getting sliced and diced.

But before they dish out any more damage, the Beowolf's struggles finally bore fruit.

_**[Alpha Beowolf has used Berserk!]**_

We saw the red lines on its marble white shells starting to pulse with crimson light, like it was pumping energy into the red veins.

_**[Alpha Beowolf has broken free of the status effect: Bind!]**_

The beast managed to stretch out my Aura far enough to grab one of the participants, and promptly swing them around. The kid could do nothing but scream as they were repeatedly bashed against the ground.

I saw their Aura flash out: it couldn't handle all of the hits and broke.

Before swinging the participant around a bit more, the beast promptly threw the poor kid at the other participant, and both flew to the other side of the arena, hitting the wall. The staff members quickly rushed to the 2 kids, carrying stretchers as they made sure the injured youths got out of the arena as fast as possible.

And like that, we were down to just Vegas and me.

"SHIT!" I shouted out. In just a few seconds, the flow of the battle was back in the wolf's claws.

While still immobilized, it found enough strength to get itself up from the ground and start swinging its limbs, targeting the rest of us.

"I don't suppose you can pin it down again!?" Vegas shouted out as we were doing our best to get out of the range of its swipe.

"I'm trying my hardest here, it's not working as well as before!"

Before I knew it, the Grimm was in front of my eyes, it's arms crossed in an X as it aimed the horn on its head at me. All I could do was bring my legs and arms in and crouch into a ball as the beast came in, its horns threatening to pierce my body.

"MAGENTA!" I heard 5 voices call out to me at once.

_**BAAAAAASSSHH!**_

I felt myself getting winded as my back crashed against the wall. The arms of the Beowolf were threatening to crush me like a bug.

Through the corners of my eyes, I saw Uncle Vienna rushing in. I turned around and grinned at him.

"I'm fine, I still got aura left!" I shouted at him reassuringly.

The beast managed to outpower Sticky fingers, but that didn't mean it hadn't broken out of it.

Vegas was firing into the back of the giant Grimm, targeting the cuts made by my cards and his coins.

One managed to break into the shell on its back, and that was all Vegas needed to unload more into the newly created wound.

Several more coins entered the wound, as if it was a slot in an arcade machine. The coins piled up inside, and then they all exploded into flames.

The shell was blown off its back and exposed a soft spot of black flesh. The beast promptly let go and started to flail around, suffering from the pain.

I used this as a chance to contract my aura, and the length it stretched out caused Sticky finger to snap back with great force, launching the Grimm into the air, and then back down onto the ground. The force also caused few of the cards to fall from its shell, and left spinning into the ground.

"ONCE MORE, OPEN FIRE!" Vegas shouted, and I quickly threw my steel balls into the exposed spot.

This was it,

We created an opening.

The 「Achilles Tendon」 in this advancing biological tank.

And that's all I needed to finish this fight, victory in our hands.

The ball dug in deep, causing its strikes against us to falter.

But it wasn't deep enough for it to die.

We quickly ran circles around the boss monster: One person distracting the Grimm and the other focusing fire on the exposed spot in the back.

The Grimm knew what we were trying to do, and it came up with a plan of its own.

Once it was Vegas's turn to distract the Grimm, it immediately ignored my attacks and instead lunged at Vegas, before he could prepare to attack or dodge. It grabbed his leg and immediately spun around to me, using the 「Spin」 from my steel balls to his advantage.

And it immediately threw Vegas at me.

_Sticky Fingers!_

Vegas collided with me, and we both flew in the air.

The audiences recoiled and winced, as we hit the light construct again.

But we never slid down from it.

No, we bounced off of it.

Sticky Finger assured that we didn't take the throw as bad as the other ones, and the minimum loss of both our auras showed that.

The Grimm crossed its arm in an X again, and lunged at us.

"Well buddy," Vegas spoke quietly, leaning against my chest. "I'm really regretful to tell you that this looks like the end."

He was conceding the fight, and accepted that there was going to be some damage.

The staff members were already rushing towards us.

"You're right about that," I told him. "It is the end."

"Wow, I thought you'd be saying something more along the lines of 'not yet, we can still fight!', or something." He remarked.

"Why bother?" I told him. He sighed and nodded. "We already 「won」." I continued. He whipped his head up to look at me in the eyes, eyebrows raised and blinking owlishly.

"What?"

"I said, we already 「won」. It's our 「victory」. We 「conquered」 the beast. I 「conquered」 my past."

"What? When? How?"

"From the moment that bastard touched me, it sealed its fate."

As if on cue, the coins and cards that were scattered across the arena, all started to leave the ground and soared through the air, all towards the exposed spot.

"「Sticky Fingers」." I announced, my two hands up with my index fingers pointing at the Grimm. "The more you struggle, the more it will tighten around your neck."

The Grimm's trajectory changed, rolling and skidding on the floor. Cards and coins dug into its back, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Its chest started to rise, before the coins and cards broke through its black hide, some simply sticking out while others flew out of its front, before flinging back in.

The Grimm didn't move, its limbs limp.

The staff members stopped in their tracks and silently stared at what just happened.

The spectators were just as silent.

_**You have defeated the Boss: Alpha Beowolf!  
You have gained 9,000 Exp!  
You have gained (2) levels!  
You have gained the title: Vidarr the second!**_

"... Dude." Vegas broke the silence. "What the _fuck_…." His tone was strong with disbelief.

"Just get off of me." I replied.

* * *

The 5th wave, and the entrance test for Participants 'D', became the talk of the spectators. The Alpha Beowolf was the final round, and we simply walked out of the arena and to the spectator seat.

"MAGENTA!" Ruby shouted excitedly, bouncing up and down. "THAT WAS AMAZING!"

She was running around the place, reenacting everything I did and said back then.

"You were all like: We already 「Won」, and then you were like: It's our 「victory」. We 「conquered」 the beast. I 「conquered」 my past." She tried her best to imitate my expressions, trying her best to look as serious and determined as possible.

"And then the coins and cards were flying out like 'Pushushushushushu'! And then you were like-" She turned her two hands into finger guns "-「Sticky Fingers」, the more you struggle, the more it will tighten around your neck. And then the GRIMM EXPLODED!" She finished her words with a shout of joy. Yang came around to press down on Ruby's head to try and calm her down.

"Now, now, Ruby." Yang said reassuringly. "I know it was awesome, but you shouldn't be bothering other people like that."

Ruby looked around, and blushed when she found that other people were looking at her.

"But on that note," Yang started off. "I didn't know you had telekinesis as your semblance! You never used it in our fight!"

"First off, it's not telekinesis." I started off. "Second of all, that would've made our fights a lot more boring."

Yang simply pouted at my words. "... Then what's your semblance, anyway?" She asked.

I simply put a finger on my lips and winked.

"It's a secret."

Yang simply growled at my words.

"... They really are a handful, aren't they?" Vegas asked, standing beside me and watching our antics.

"You… have… no idea, just how much of a handful they are."

"Oh, oooh, ooh!" Ruby interjected, dashing up to Vegas. "You were so cool back then as well! You had those coins and you just flicked them with your bare hands! You were all like 'Babababaabababababababababababang!' How did you do that! Is it your semblance!?" Ruby asked as she imitated Vegas's pose. Vegas simply laughed at her antics.

"Nah," He answered. "I just trained myself to do that."

"Wooow….." Ruby responded with stars in her eyes. "Oh! Where're my manners!" She gave Vegas a salute before extending her hands out to him. "The name's Ruby Rose! Nice to meet you!"

Vegas smiled and took her hand, shaking it firmly. "Vegas Dandelion, at your service."

Yang followed Ruby's example. "And my name's Yang! I'm her sister. Nice to meet you too, Vegas!"

"Likewise."

I saw mom and dad walk up to us, smiling proudly. Mom had her scroll out: it was clear she was recording the entire fight.

"Oh right. Mom, dad, this is Vegas. Vegas, these are my mom and dad."

"Nice to meet you, Misses and Mister!" Vegas greeted confidently. My mom and dad smiled.

"Hello, Vegas." Dad replied. "I hope you stay good friends with my son."

"With what he did for me today? I hope so too, sir!"

-line-

Only Participant 'E' was left for the entrance test, and we used that time to talk with each other (read: answer their questions). Vegas's parents finally find us, and were getting busy talking with my parents.

"So what is this 「Spin」 thingy?" Yang asked.

"And what did you do to your Aura to do that with your cards?" Vegas followed.

"Well…. The 「Spin」 is an ancient Mistrali martial art, and what I used on my cards were aura techniques developed by a native Vacuoan tribe."

"So… that means we can learn it?" Yang asked, hope was colored in her tone.

"Yeah, but the difficulty varies between person to person."

"Hey, we have lots of time to learn it." Vegas said, trying to convince me.

"... Sure, why not."

* * *

Yang was experiencing difficulty in trying to understand my explanation, and she gave up after a few fruitless tries.

Vegas was getting the hang of the 「Spin」, trying to make his coin 「Spin」 in the air. He had much more difficulty with the nen techniques, but he understood enough of what needs to be done. He decided to practice it at home.

That's when the announcement came on, indicating that the entrance test was finally over. Participants 'E' only got up to the 3rd wave, with the 4th wave stopping halfway due to a complete wipeout.

"_**And that marks the end of the entrance test. First off, we would like to give an applause to all the participants, for their attempts to take the first step in becoming a hunter, regardless of whether they succeeded or not."**_

Claps started to resonate within the arena.

"_**Now, we will be announcing those who have passed the test, from the lowest rank to the top 11, through the holo projector. Those who have ranked in the top 10 will be announced separately, after the first announcement."**_

And with that: names, their points, and their rank started to appear on the hard light walls. The crowd became divided: some laughing and cheering, while others were groaning, or even resorting to crying and sobbing.

"Look Yang, look! You passed!" Ruby shouted as she pointed at the screen. Yang had been placed 38th, with 188 points.

"Awwww, Yeah!" Yang shouted, pumping her fists in the air. Ruby's cheerful face turned worried as her eyes started to dart around the screen.

"I….. I don't see Magenta's, or Vegas's ..." She said silently.

"We still have the top 10's, maybe their name's will be there." Yang said, trying to reassure not only Ruby, but Vegas and I as well.

Few minutes passed before the announcement started again.

_**And now, we will be announcing the one who has ranked in the top 10 of this year's entrance test, starting from 10th place: Alice Violet, for not only scoring 236 Points, but also rescuing 6 participants from getting any further injuries during the entrance test.**_

A crowd furthest from us erupted into a cheer, with the girl in the middle looking embarrassed.

_**Next we have Marshall Graybeard, in 9th place for not only scoring 238 Points, but also contributing a great deal in the Participants 'B''s run in the entrance test by subduing the Grimms.**_

Another cheer erupted in a part of the arena.

"Oooh, him." Yang remarked.

_**Jack Crimson, placed 8th for not only scoring 238 points, but also by protecting 8 students during his run of the entrance test.**_

_**Nathan King Coal, placed 7th for not only scoring 248 Points, but also by the excellent use of dust, and making sure everyone else were escorted out properly before forfeiting. One needs to know when to retreat, especially in such a dangerous situation.**_

_**Avery Pink, placed 6th for 260 points…..**_

_**Forest Pine, placed 5th for 267 points….**_

…_**.. Diamante Corvus, placed 4th for scoring 302 points…..**_

…_**. Heat Corona, placed 3rd for scoring 367 points….**_

The crowd behind us blared with joy, with cheers bombarding us all. A kid with Crimson hair that covered one eye was sitting there, arms crossed and with a confident grin. Like a king.

With only 2nd and 1st remaining, Ruby was looking nervous, and Yang was starting to get anxious too. If we were neither 2nd and 1st, that only meant that we failed.

It was not good for our heart, to say the very damn least.

…_**.. This year, we had an interesting situation, as we do not have a 2nd place. Instead, we have two people that tied for 1st.**_

All of us strained our ears. My throat was dry from the wait, the atmosphere was tense and heavy, as this single announcement weighed our future.

_**I would like to congratulate these 2, as it is a rare treasure to have such people as these 2 join our school. Their performances have been recorded and will be sent to other primary schools, and I would like to offer them a chance at the Vale region tournament. Whether they accept or not is up to their decision.**_

_**I would like to congratulate…**_

The screens on the cyan hard light wall suddenly changed, and a video appeared for all of us to see.

_"I was thinking….." I spoke up first._

_"...? About What?"_

_"About this whole test. I think there's something more to it than what we were thinking."_

_"... I'm all ears, let's hear it."_

_"It was bothering me while I was fighting. About the rules."_

_"What's wrong?"_

_"If I remember correctly, he said that point was given for every killing blow and kill assists. He also talked about the waves, and how if we are deemed unable to continue, or forfeit, we'll be escorted out. I'm remembering this correctly, right?"_

_"That's how I remember it."_

_"Then there's something we're overlooking."_

_"And what do you think we're overlooking?"_

_"The __「__condition__」 __for us to pass the __「__test__」__."_

_"... You had my interest, but now you have my full attention."_

_"He told us about taking part in killing Grimms giving us points. He never told us what the points were for. We all assumed we had to get enough points to pass, but that's just us assuming."_

_"... I'm starting to see your point."_

_"For all we know, more points could make us __「__less__」 __likely to succeed. Of course, this is just an example. I don't actually think more points will actually make us less likely to pass."_

_"Then what do you think the points are for?"_

_"__「__Ranking__」__. Nothing more, and nothing less. It's just there to make us think, motivate us, and or simply categorise our __「__Fighting Capability__」__."_

_"Then what do you think is going to let us pass?"_

_"Well first off, let's see what they are doing: They are __「__gathering__」 __us into an Arena, and making us fight the Grimms. They have been putting us not against each other, but against the Grimms. __「__Us__」 __vs __「__Grimms__」__, __「__Participants__」 __vs __「__School__」__."_

_"I think I'm getting what you're saying, but please explain for clarification and confirmation."_

_"First off, with all this information given to you, what do you think?"_

_"... What do I think?"_

_"First off, what you told me made me think: This is a Hunter academy. There's more to being able to fight to be a hunter. You need to be able to think, and learn to protect people. Learning how to fight is easy; it's learning how to have a heart and mindset of a hunter that's difficult, so they're trying to test that in some way. They can always teach us how to fight Grimms at school: We do have 3 to 4 years of it. So this test isn't just testing how well we fight. But that's all I could confidently say."_

_"You're in the same mindset as I am. I think they're trying to see how we __「__act__」__."_

_"How we act?"_

_"Yeah. First off, we're not just fighting the Grimms by ourselves: We have __「__other__」 __participants in the __「__fight__」 __as well."_

_"...Ooooh….."_

_"We're not being judged by our __「__fighting prowess__」__. Well, we are, but it's not the main thing they're looking for in us: They're seeing how well we __「__act together__」__."_

_"... How well we __「__cooperate__」 __with each other…"_

_"Exactly. With our numbers dwindling down, and the difficulty of the Grimm hordes increasing, the test is going to get harder and harder for us; if, we fight alone. I see a hint for this in the rules Mr. Cielo gave us as well."_

_"... The point system ..."_

_"You're onto it. You saw the points given on your scroll. It doesn't matter if you were only distracting it or dealing the final blow: You get the same amount of points either way. It's there so that cooperation doesn't impede you earning your points. But I think a lot of us failed to see that. They were too __「__focused__」 __on getting their points, because they assumed getting the most points meant that you passed. Some even resorted to sabotaging other participants, and I'm sure they automatically failed."_

_"I get your point. Hunters need to know how to act together."_

_"Exactly. Hunters may fight, but they don't compete with each other. They're both working for the same goal, competing with each other is counterproductive: it's a detrimental quality. And then there's the other quality they're trying to look for."_

_"And what's that?"_

_"It's like you said: we need to be able to think. They're seeing us how we __「__act__」__. They're assessing our __「__judgement__」__."_

_"You mean how we assess the situation?"_

_"Not only that, but how we assess ourselves: Hunters, in order to live, need to know what they __「__can do__」 __and __「__can't do__」__. We need to know our __「__limit__」__. That's why he told us about the __「__forfeit__」__. Trying to stand up, again and again, is indeed an important quality, but that becomes useless if we're not aware of the situation, and ourselves. If we don't lose anything from running away, then that's obviously the better choice than dying while you're trying to fight."_

_"... So that's why he said tapping the tab would have you forfeit the fight…"_

_"Correct, he didn't say it would have you forfeit the __「__test__」__, just the __「__fight__」__. He's seeing if we know our limits in this fight."_

_"I see…."_

_"So, on that note: I would like to make a __「__request__」__."_

_"If it's about teaming up, then I'm all ears. It's actually getting difficult to fight these things, and you just convinced me that cooperation is best."_

It was us. Vegas and I, talking to each other, our conversation enhanced by the speakers. The videos then shifted to our fights, cut down to shorten the time. It was topped off with us fighting the Alpha Beowolf.

…_**. Magenta Valentine and Vegas Dandelion. You 2 have not only scored 434 points total, but the both of you have pinpointed the reason for this entrance test. As these 2 have said, we were not here to judge whether you are accepted into this school or not by your fighting prowess. With enough training, one can master such quality in no time. No, what we were here to assess was your decisions. Cooperations, your judgement, et cetera. These two saw through the ruse and read between the lines, and have displayed excellent teamwork and cooperation. As a result, they were the only two to win against the Alpha Beowolf, and survive through the entire waves we had prepared for them. All the more astounding was that these two have only met today, just before their entrance test has started. I look forward to the 2 of you, and your performance in school. Good luck, and congratulations once more.**_

Mom, Dad, Vegas's parents, Ruby, and Yang all erupted into a cheer at this announcement.

"OH MY GOD, YOU GUYS DID IT!" Ruby shouted in joy. "YOU GUYS ARE FIRST!"

Vegas and I just looked at each other, silently.

"Dude…." Vegas said, his stare was blank. It looked like he still wasn't believing what just happened. "... We did it….."

I simply smiled at him.

"We sure did."

_**Goal cleared!**_

_**Objective: Pass the test**_

_**Optional Objective: Place 1st place**_

_**Reward: 15,000 Exp, Title: [Signal Initiate]**_

_**Optional Reward: +500 Fame, 15,000 Exp, Title: [Top of Signal]**_

_**Wow! You managed to get into Signal with a bang! It wouldn't be surprising if people didn't know who you were, now! Who knows, maybe you'll be on Pumpkin Pete's cereal box instead of Pyrrha! Heck, you could become more famous than Pyrrha!**_

_**You gained a total of 30,000 Exp!  
You have gained (5) levels!  
You have gained +500 fame! People in Signal, as well as people in Vale, will know who you are now! Some people in Atlas, Mistral, and Menagerie will know who you are now! You are considered the rising star of Vale, and the rising pride of Patch!  
You have gained the title: [Signal Initiate]! You are now officially a student of Signal academy!  
You have gained the title: [Top of Signal]! Your name is now recorded in the hall of fame in Signal!  
Due to your cooperation with Vegas being known throughout Patch and Vale, you have gained a new title: [Casino Crew]!  
You gained an additional +50 fame!**_

Wow, shit. That's a lot.

…..

Considering that I'm the top of my class right now, I think that's a given.

"Hey buddy," Vegas said, slightly nudging my arm with his elbow. I turned to look at him.

"Thanks a lot, man, I owe you a lot."

I smiled at him.

"You owe me nothing."

I quietly checked my stat, it had grown a total of 7 levels now.

_**Magenta Valentine  
Age: 13  
Title: [The Pink Prodigy], [The Magenta Magician], [Signal Initiate], [Top of Signal], [Heir to the Dancer]  
Level: 42  
Hp: 2,520/2,520  
Aura: 5,585/5,585  
Vajra: [Locked]  
Str: 54 (37 + 45%)  
Vit: 42 (30 + 40%)  
Dex: 54 (37 + 45%)  
Mnt: 12  
Int: 144 (80 + 80%)  
Wis: 144 (80 + 80%)  
Chr: 24 (19 + 25%)**_

_**70 Points Remaining!**_

…..

I'm gonna need to think about where I should put these points in.

* * *

**_I changed the name from 'The games of DMND' to 'The DMND game'. For the most important reason of: It just sounds better._**

**_Yeah so, we're going to be to another time skip, probably like 3 weeks in, and with Magenta building his weapons. Maybe him joining the Vale region tournament._**

**_Yeah, I'm gonna make Magenta the Vale version of Pyrrha Nikos._**


	7. 「Rise」 to the 「Top」!

_This is Signal Academy!  
One of the prestigious primary schools for budding Huntress and Huntsman-to-be!  
Once they graduate from such schools, they await the __「__Trial__」__s in the name of Beacon, Haven, Shade, or Atlas!  
Their graduation from one of the 4 schools shall be the badge, the __「__Proof__」 __of their status as Huntsmen and Huntresses!  
Of all the students in Signal Academy, only 4 students __「__Stands__」 __out to us! 4 Of them will become the giant cog that will turn in the hands we call __「__Fate__」__!  
Only one is fully aware of their __「__Roles__」__! The rest simply enjoy the small things offered by this school, blissfully ignorant of the future they hold, the __「__Destiny__」 __they must suffer!_

_**Chapter **__**7: **__**「**__**Rise**__**」 **__**to the **__**「**__**Top**__**」**__**!**_

* * *

"... _pheeew_, I'd say we're just about finished here." I said, looking down at the workshop table laid in front of me. A giant machination, the blades were folded and connected into half a circle. It was approximately 1.5x my height, and the folded blade implied it could unfold itself into a full circle. The handle (Seperated into 3 parts), and a heavy case and engine implied that it also transformed into another weapon.

"... I gotta say," Vegas said next to me, watching the nearly finished weapon. "Your weapon looks just as unorthodox as you and your fighting style."

I simply turned to him, smirked, and shrugged my shoulders, before grabbing the weapon by the handle and picking it up, ready to test it out before giving it the finishing touches…. And plates. "I don't know what you're talking about, Vegas."

I started to swing the weapon around the forge, the heavy curved blade was spinning and twirling in my palm, making sparks as it contacted the wall and floor. I quickly twisted the middle section of the handle, and watched the transformation unfold. The tips of the blades on both sides started to recede into the body of the blade -the bottom folding in further. The body blade suddenly started to turn from the handle, taking the engine with it, before splitting into two. The blade pointing forward turned to become parallel with the handle, the entire process turning the curved blade into the head of a giant axe, the body forming when the handle extended between the 3 separate parts.

The curved blade was turned into a battle axe in an instant, and I wielded it just as quickly and effortlessly. I swung it a few more times until I decided to test out the final transformation.

I quickly twisted the middle section back, and twisted the part of the handle below it.

The battle-axe, quickly returning back into the curved blade, started to fluid turn into something new: the blade receded and folded into itself, sliding down the engine and down to cover only the slightly elongated and curved handle. The blade was barely visible once the plates on the engine slid down to cover it, revealing that there was a barrel folded on top of the engine, and a revolver chamber the size of twice my outstretched hand, measured from end of palm to the tip of the fingers. The engine repositioned itself as the barrel folded down and extended itself. I quickly spun around the spot and took aim, and fired. Bullets fired like hail as it hit the wall.

It was a shotgun, with a revolver chamber.

I knew the heavy moon from God Eater 3 was definitely cool, but I never thought how awesome it would be to use it in person until I built it. It worked even better since my fighting style matched it, allowing for some extra utility and creativity in its use.

It didn't have the shield capability, but I didn't need it. I instead had it so the blade unfolded into a giant chakram, allowing me to imbue it with the 「Spin」 and watch it cause havoc as a spinning wheel of death.

Vegas watched me wield with a blank stare. "So I guess it was a success after….. What, 7 weeks?" He remarked, sipping on a can of Pumpkin Pete soda.

"6, though I guess it's still a long time compared to the other students," I replied, setting the weapon back down onto the workshop table, grabbing metal plates and spray paints.

"No shit. Everyone else finished building their weapons 2 weeks ago. Only you and a handful of other students were left." Vegas flatly told me, watching me do the finishing touches on my weapon.

"Well, thank god I finished it now."

"Agreed." I quickly finished attaching the extra plates over the exposed gears and pistons, and spray painting the plates individually.

The finished product glowed on the table, shining Magenta and Purple, with red accents running on the smaller parts of the weapon.

Vegas whistled at its presentation.

"You got a name for it?" Vegas asked.

"... Yeah, I think I do." I held the weapon up proudly. My tears, sweat and blood were poured into these engines, these handles, and these blades.

"Lemme hear it."

"Magenta Matador Carnage."

_**You have successfully created a new weapon!**_

_**Your Mantra: Weaponsmithing, has gained 5 levels!**_

_**Magenta Matador Carnage [Unique]  
**__-"I gotta say, Your weapon looks just as unorthodox as you and your fighting style."- Vegas Dandelion  
Weapon specially crafted by the hands of Magenta Valentine (and the comments of Vegas Dandelion), it is an unorthodox weapon built upon othodox parts._

_**-Rank: S  
-Ranged Damage increased by 350%  
-Dexterity increased by 50%  
-Attack speed increased by 70%  
-Slashing damage increased by 120%  
-Crushing damage increased by 45%  
-45% of inflicting status effect [Bleeding] if the target has no aura. +25% if target is [Vulnerable]  
-Can be upgraded**_

"..." Vegas just looked at me with a frown. "Take out the 'Magenta' part, then the name will be bearable…."

"...Ok…." My voice came out quiet and strained.

…..I was proud of the name…

_**Magenta Matador Carnage has been renamed: Matador Carnage!**_

"Well, well, well…" We heard a low voice calling out behind us. "Look who's finally caught up with the rest of us."

We both turned to look at the assailant.

The youth was the same age as us, his height only being slightly shorter than mine. Bright crimson hair was covering one eye, and his lips were in a sneer. Scarlet eyes (... or eye, considering we only saw his left eye uncovered by his shoulder-length hair) look at the two of us. He wore a black tank top that fit his chests tightly, silver chest plate and two shoulder pads attached to him with red leather straps. The colouration of his outfit reminded me of a Grimm. He wore beige cargo pants, with military boots to finish off the style.

"Hey Heat." We both replied with a grin.

"Well, the prince finally finishes his crown to prove his rights on the throne. I believe a celebration is in order. Don't you think?" Heat asked, lowering his chin to form a Kubrick stare. He was smiling, but the heavy and quiet atmosphere around us made the smile look hostile and aggressive.

Our grins faded as we slowly stood up, I quietly gripped my freshly tailored weapon.

"... Follow me, I know a place for us to just go wild at." Heat said, his sneer gone from his face as he turned around and walked out of the forge. We both quietly followed.

* * *

"... AND THREE CHEERS TO OUR NUMBER ONE!" Heat shouted, smiling ear to ear as he held up a glass filled with Citrus peach cooler. Smoke was rising from our table as slices of pork and meat were getting grilled on a heat metal plate.

Heat managed to grab a table in one of the most famous restaurants in Patch: Blaze and Flair's Mistral barbeque house. I guess being the top 3 first years of Signal gave you some benefits. The door of the restaurant was opened to let the cool night breeze in, forcing the hot air and smoke from the barbeque grills to be let out.

Heat was a close friend of ours: We met in person when he forgot his pen in our class, and I let mine to him. We hit it from there and started to talk with each other, growing close when we had a lot of things in common.

For once, his parents were both huntsman and huntresses, and the trained him ever since he was 9. He was also a Grimm Rider fan, being a fan of Grimm Rider Blaze (just like Yang).

He was strong, and his fighting style was identical to Yang's (His weapons were claws with automatic rifles installed on the wrists), except for one thing: He planned his fights.

It was the titular 'Cool-headed brain mixed with ferocious and heated brawn'. If only Yang was like Heat, then she would've improved in leaps.

Heat had a habit of talking condescendingly, even though he wasn't really looking down on others. Apparently it was a habit picked up by his mother, and he wasn't aware of him talking like he was superior to everyone until we pointed it out.

He's trying his best to fix it, but he still talks to us like this purely because we didn't really care.

"You finally made your weapon! It's a success too!" Heat shouted out haughtily.

"I know, right!? And you invited us to a barbeque! This is the best!" I shouted back with equal joy, drinking Cranberry Mojito from my glass and picking up a strip of thin beef to eat.

We were enjoying ourselves, although I was a bit guilty that I didn't tell Yang and Ruby about this.

…..

Oh well, Boys Night Out. Sorry Yang, sorry Ruby.

"Now all we need to do is focus on the Vale regional tournament, right!?" Vegas asked with a laugh, quickly stuffing his mouth with grilled meat.

"Oi, Oi! Slow down, there's enough meat for all 3 of us here!" Heat and I shouted at Vegas in unison, grabbing pork and beef from the grilling plate at a steady pace.

"But yeah, I guess we only have the Vale regional tournament to worry about." I replied. Vegas ignored our words and were moving his chopsticks at a speed that made them a blur. In a bit of annoyance, I shot my aura at the tip of the chopstick, causing Vegas's chopstick to get stuck in his mouth.

Vegas's eyes went wide as he realized his mouth was forced shut, his chopstick lodged between his lips, not even budging an inch. He quickly whipped his head to me.

"Mmmmm! MMMMHMHHHHHHMMM!" Vegas was trying to say something to me, and it didn't sound like they were any nice, judging by the glares he was giving me.

"What's wrong Vegas?" Heat asked with visible concern.

"Yeeaaah~ What's wrong~, hhhmm?" I followed, flashing Vegas a grin.

"HHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMHHHHHMMM!" Vegas pointed at his chopsticks with his hands.

"What, is something wrong with your chopsticks?" Heat asked, as he reached his hands out to grab the chopstick, and started to pull on it. I released Sticky Fingers, and the chopstick slid out of Vegas's mouth effortlessly.

"... What the hell, Vegas. Don't scare us like that." Heat replied as he placed the chopstick in front of Vegas, going back to eating the grilled pork and beef.

"Yeah, we thought something happened because you were eating too fast." I said to Vegas, going back to eating the barbeque treats.

"... I swear on my family name, Magenta. I will be the first to find out what your semblance really is, and its weakness. And when I do, I will pay you back for every prank you committed against me, doubled with interest."

"Sure~ sure~, you do that~." I said as I began chewing on the beef. Vegas continued to me before going back to eating as well.

"So, you guys managed to make plans for the tournament as well, or are you just going to wing it like the test?" Heat asked in beating his chewing and swallowing.

"To be quite honest, I doubt any of our plans will be solid until we know who our competition would be." I replied. Heat nodded as he focused on the barbeque.

"Then… I guess our only solid plan is just waiting and seeing, till the tournament starts." Vegas stated.

"Yep."

"Agreed."

"Well," Vegas started, as one of the waitresses came over to our table with a trolley, taking away the empty plates that held the raw beef and pork and replacing them with new plates stacked with the succulent delicacies.

"Enough about those stressful fights, LET'S EAT!" Vegas announced.

"YEAH!" We followed soon after, placing the raw beef on the grilling plates and digging in.

* * *

"Fuck….. I'm full." Vegas sighed out, satisfied by the Boys Night Out.

"It was good, though. Like, really good." I said as we cut through a forest; A shortcut to our home.

"Glad you guys enjoyed it as much as I did." Heat replied, letting out an animalistic burp. We both recoiled away from Heat in disgust.

"Shit, sorry dude, but…" Vegas started

"That shit disgusting, dude." and I finished.

"Sorry." Heat replied nonchalantly, not even a hint of shame or embarrassment in his voice.

"Let's hope you don't do that with a girl." Vegas snarked.

Then we heard screaming and shouting. The 3 of us whipped our head into the direction the anguish came from, all 3 of us adopting a frown.

"... You guys don't need any convincing, right?" Heat asked in a growl as he started to prepare to sprint.

"Nope"

"Not even a word."

All 3 of us sprinted full speed to the source.

We arrived at a broken down truck, two people took refuge in the vehicle as Beowolves were clawing at the doors.

It looked as if the beowolves could go through any second now.

Vegas immediately whipped out his canisters and flicked the coins at the beowolves. The ones that didn't get hit quickly lunged away from the truck.

_**[Horde] Beowolves**_

_**Average Level: 23**_

_**Individual HP: 280/280**_

"Heat, Magenta! There are people here!" Vegas shouted as he ran near the truck.

_**New Goal created!  
Objective: Protect the farmers!  
Optional Objective: Prevent further damage to the vegetable crates!**_

_**Reward: 5,000 Exp, +100 Fame  
Optional Reward: 1,000 Exp, +50 Fame and increased likeability to the people in Patch**_

The Grimms were starting to form a circle, walking around us in caution.

But that was a mistake on their part, as I grabbed Matador Carnage from my inventory, and imbued it with the 「Spin」 and Stick Fingers before throwing it.

The curved trajectory the giant wheel blade flew in caught most of the Beowolves off guarding, cleaving through them effortlessly.

"... I swear to god, you're just a wizard at this point…" Heat deadpanned, surprised by my weapon appearing in my hand from thin air. I wagged my index finger at him

"Ah, ah, ah. Magician." I said to him as a starting to swing Matador Carnage around with Sticky Fingers. Few more Beowolves got cleaved as the swings picked up speed. The Beowolves swiftly dispersed from the circle and formed small crowds.

"They're all yours~." I said to Heat, who immediately targeted the small crowds with his wristed mounted automatic rifles.

Vegas targeted the other crowds of the beasts with his coins, tearing holes into their black-furred bodies.

It was a very quick and easy task for us, especially when the 3 of us banded together.

It didn't take long for the Grimms to disappear. The smaller ones simply turned tails and ran back into the woods as the bigger ones were slaughtered mercilessly.

It didn't even net me more than 100 Exp now, and that was minuscule compared to my level.

_**Goal cleared!  
Objective: Protect the farmers!  
Optional Objective: Prevent further damage to the vegetable crates!**_

_**Reward: 5,000 Exp, +100 Fame  
Optional Reward: 1,000 Exp, +50 Fame and increased likeability to the people in Patch  
Your achievement will be told by the two survivors, and your status as a champion will only enhance the good image you created.**_

"Hey," Vegas spoked to the two people in the car. One was a bearded man in his 60s, his hairline receding a bit. The other one was a kid, somewhere around 5 or 6. "You guys ok? Are any of you injured?" The old man smiled and shook his head. Looks like they decided to play it smart and stayed in the car.

"Your vegetables are fine, too. Though some of the boxes have scratches on them." I called out. The old man laughed.

"Don't worry, they'll live." He replied, and he slowly got out of the car. The kid soon followed the elder to jump at us in joy.

"Wooooow, Grandpa, they're hunters!"

"Not yet, kid." Heat replied.

"You… You guys are the Signal students, right?" The old man replied, as the 3 of us nodded in confirmation.

"Haha! I see that the Schools are still something for youths to look up to, if they produce strapping heroes like you folks!" The old man said, as he started to ruffle through his pockets, and taking out his wallet.

"... I know it's not much, but-" He was cut off by the 3 of us, waving our hands in front of us as we refused to take his Liens

"We didn't do this for money, old man!" Heat shouted out, wide-eyed.

"Yeah, we did this so you guys could be safe!" Vegas followed

"We don't expect to be paid for this!" I shouted as well.

"Well, then consider this a show of gratitude from this old man."

"As I said, it's fine!"

"We're getting gratitude enough by having the vegetable safely reach the market for tomorrow!"

"Yeah, I need those vegetables to cook for the girls tomorrow morning, so I need to get them safely to the market anyway!"

Heat and Vegas stopped waving their hands in front of them and simply turned to look at me.

"... The girls?"

"... I told you, one moment they say they're childhood friends. Next second, they're found kis-"

"Fuck you guys, you know I didn't mean it like that."

"Do we~?" They spoke in unison. I stared at them dead in the eyes with a frown.

"... I'll hit you. I'll hit both of you."

"Ok, Ok. I get it."

"Yeah, I totally get it."

Their lips were forming in a Cheshire cat grin. They were still fucking with me.

I turned to the elder, taking in deep breaths.

"... You need help with escorting the truck? Just because we got rid of them now, doesn't mean they're not coming back, you know…"

"... If it's alright with you kids. I wouldn't want you to bother you students this late."

"Yeah, we're fine with it!" Heat replied with a confident grin, and Vegas nodded firmly with a smile.

"...wooow…" The kid said with sparkles in his eyes.

Honestly, he reminded me a lot of Ruby.

The kid asked us a bunch of questions as we sat at the back of the truck, protecting the crates.

"So, so, so you're guys are from Signal, right!?"

"Yep." We replied.

"And you guys were the ones from the video, right!?"

"The video?" We asked, as he pulled up his grandfather's scroll. It was the video of me and Vegas fighting the Alpha Grimm, along with a seperate video of Heat tearing Grimms apart, his fellow participants behind him.

"Yep, that's me and them alright." Heat replied with a chuckle.

"WOOOOW, You guys must be strong!"

"Not really? I mean, yeah, we took on Grimms, but there are still a lot of Grimms we can't win against." Vegas replied sheepishly, scratching his head as he talked.

"Oh." The kid said.

"But," Vegas continued. "That's why we have friends, so that the one strike that didn't take the Grimms down can be 2 strikes, or 3, or 4, or more strikes at once, enough to finally beat those beasts back where they came from." He looked at both me and Heat as he talked, and smiled.

"And we also have this guy, who'll kick anyone's ass through sheer mind screwery and magic." Vegas replied as he pointed to me with a sneer. Heat chuckled and nodded at Vegas's words.

"... I don't know what you mean…" I simply replied.

"Don't lie to me, Magenta. You made that Alpha Beowolf stuck to the ground, have its chest burst from coins and cards, and make cards have sharpness equal to well-sharpened blades. Not to mention you being able to summon your weapon from thin air." Vegas leaned closer.

"Seriously, the hell are you?" I just shrugged at Vegas's question.

"Just a Magenta Magician. Nothing more, nothing less."

"... I think you fail to realize just how dangerous you are." Heat remarked.

"Nah, I know. I just don't care."

* * *

I was confronted by Yang the next morning, blocking my path in the Signal Academy hallway.

"Magenta. Valentine." She said with a hard tone. "Where. Were. You. Last. Night?" She asked, hands on her hips.

"Do you realize how worried I was when you ignored my calls? I was angry too, and you know making me angry is a huge mistake. Heck, Ruby was going all around the house with my scroll, texting you!"

"... Sorry, I couldn't answer my Scroll."

"And exactly why, were you unable to answer your scroll?"

I saw Vegas and Heat walk out from the corner of the hallway, when our eyes met. They were smiling at first, until they saw Yang. Their eyes went wide as they slowly took a step back, their eyes were silently asking permission to leave.

I closed my eyes and nodded shortly, and I heard rapid footsteps fading out from the corner of the hallway.

Yang whipped her head back as she saw me nod, but could see no one.

"It was a Boys Night Out. I finished building my weapon so we celebrated."

"... where?"

"..." The answer was stuck in my throat. She was tapping her foot now, clearly displaying her impatience.

"... Come on, it shouldn't be that hard, _right_!?"

"...Blaze and Flair's Mistral barbeque house."

Yang was silent in my answer, her face changed from surprise and relief, and quickly to disbelief.

"... _WHAT!?_"

"... Heat got a seat, and we ate there till 10 pm." I slowly took a step back, and was immediately followed by Yang taking a step forward, maintaining our distance.

"...And. You. Didn't. Invite us?" Yang asked slowly, breaking each word for emphasis.

"... You guys weren't there, and it was a Boys Night Out."

Yang glared at me for a good minute, frowning. Then she sighed.

"I can't believe you….." She said as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Well it's the truth."

"... You know I didn't mean it that way." Yang growled.

She took a step forward.

"You owe me."

"No I don't." I quickly rebutted, before walking off to my next class. "I don't owe you shit!"

"You didn't invite me to Blaze and Flair's Mistral barbeque house! You know it's me and Ruby's favourite restaurant!" She shouted back at me.

"Boys Night Out!"

* * *

6 months passed, and the year was nearly ending.

One more year, and it would be Ruby's time to get into Signal.

And only 3 more years before we all went to Beacon.

And I needed to do something before we headed into Beacon.

Become a 4 year Vale regional tournament champion.

There weren't any ulterior motifs to it: I just wanted to. That was all there was to it.

I wanted to get strong, and tournaments were one of the many ways to meet strong opponents.

And being the Vale counterpart to Pyrrha could attract more opponents.

Sure, there would be the downside of being lonely, and everyone putting me on a pedestal if I did become the Vale Pyrrha,

But I had Heat, Vegas, Ruby, and Yang.

And possibly more, over the course of the years.

Getting into the quarterfinals of the tournament was easy, but that didn't mean it wasn't tiring.

20 people.

I had to fight 20 people, just to get into the quarterfinals.

I developed newfound respect for the redheaded champion.

Strength was one thing, she already proved that she had tenacity too.

….

Unless she was forced to do it for 4 years.

Then she had my sympathy.

_**Welcome, Everyone! To the Quarterfinals of the Vale regional tournament!**_

A female voice boomed from the speakers, and the crowd erupted into a cheer. I simply waited quietly on the bench, waiting for the fight to start. The arena was in Vale, and we arrived at Vale through a specially prepared Airship. The tournament started at 8pm, causing the tournaments to be lit up by light stands you'd commonly see in football fields.

_**Today we have 8 promising youths, aiming for the top of Vale! They had displayed considerable skills, strength, wits, and tenacity to place themselves into this prestigious spot! Now, let's see today who rises to the top!**_

The 2 holo projectors lit up to show names, placed to form line ladders and showing who was pitted against who.

_**Tonight's match will start between two promising students! On the right we have Daniel Goldman, age 14 and is the top of his year in Pharos Academy!**_

A young man with blue slicked back hair was walking out of the right entrance of the arena, waving at the crowd and flashing smiles. He was carrying a broadsword with the handle resembling the grip of a rifle. Half the crowd erupted in cheer.

He was confident, that's for sure.

_**And on the left we have Magenta Valentine! Age 14 and the top of his year in Signal Academy!**_

I stood up from my bench and slowly walked out of the entrance, Matador Carnage on my back. The other half of the crowd started to cheer.

"Go Magenta!" I heard Ruby's voice through the crowd, and I turned my head to smile at her.

"Go Pinkie!" Yang shouted out with a mischievous grin. I simply gave her a stern look, which she returned by sticking her tongue out, still smiling.

_**It's the battle between the top of Pharos and the top of Signal! This is going to be quite the fight!**_

Daniel looked at me and smiled, making a small bow.

_**Daniel Goldman  
[Rising Treasure of the Goldmans]  
Level: 32  
Hp: 1,896/1,896  
Aura: 3,242/3,242**_

"Let's make this a great match!" He shouted with a smile.

"Likewise."

"Oh, and sorry," Daniel said suddenly with a grin. "But I hope you don't feel too bad when I win."

I smirked at him. "Oh no, it's ok. I'll let you win," This caused him to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "If you can still stand after 5 minutes."

He smirked at my words, as we both took our stances.

_**The match will start in…. 3!**_

_**2!**_

_**1!**_

_**Fight!**_

_**New Goal Created!  
Objective: Become Champion of the Vale regional tournament  
Reward: +800 Fame, Title: [Vale Regional Champion], 67,000 Exp**_

Daniel moved first, raising his sword as he dashed towards me.

_**BAKUUAAAAAAANG!**_

But he didn't move fast enough.

_**What's this!? Magenta seems to have thrown something at Daniel! And Daniel took a direct hit!**_

I saw Daniel falter as the steel ball dug into his temple. His aura took the damage, but the force was still there.

And the 「Spin」 worked through force, not damage. He wouldn't have his head bleeding, but he would be dizzy either way, with the pain distracting him.

I took this chance to rush up to him, grabbing his right leg and quickly delivering a high kick (Aura Trade (硬) making all of my aura concentrated into my kicking leg) to his chin. The poor sod flew backwards and skidded on his back.

_**What a kick! Daniel took another direct hit! Daniel has already lost considerable Aura! Magenta is not playing around!**_

Cheers and screams filled the air. I think I saw a woman (who looked to be either Daniel's mother or older sister) covering her mouth at the sight of Daniel taking heavy hits from the get-go.

Daniel rolled to his stomach as he tried to stand back onto his two feet, failing a few attempts as he stumbled and struggled, one hand grabbing his chin. The steel ball rolled to the concrete floor, still 「spinning」.

"Hey, come on," I said to him, and he looked up. I saw his eyes trying their hardest to focus on me. I smirked at him as I pointed an index finger upwards. "It hasn't even been a minute~. I told you, survive for 5 minutes and I'll let you win. That should be enough incentive to stand up, right~?"

I saw his face contorted with anger and determination. Understandable, because it was all but stating that I was toying with him. But he wasn't rushing in carelessly anymore. He immediately jumped back, away from me and my steel balls. He was losing balance, as well as strength in his legs. A heavy hit to the chin did that to a man.

He thought that I was dangerous from close range, which seemed to be his specialty. He instead started to change the shape of his sword, with the blade shifting up the handguard and folding in half, forming a barrel as his handle twisted about… 15 degrees inward, and few other details on his sword shifting and merging to form an assault rifle.

He open fired at me, his accuracy fell due to his loss of balance, but it still flew in my direction. A quickly ran from the fire and around the arena in a circle.

_**Daniel has decided to play it smart and keep his distance! It seems that he views Magenta as quite the threat! What will Magenta do next?**_

"Wooow…" Ruby said in a hushed whisper. "Magenta is really going for it, huh?"

"Yeah, and he's using his good old tongue to get the other guy all riled up," Yang replied. It was a favourite tactic that Magenta used frequently in their spar, and he knew exactly what to say to get her riled up. It would always start with him insulting her hair, and it always worked. It ended with Yang on the floor because she threw her punches right where he was expecting it. It was kinda refreshing to see him do it on another person, though.

Probably because she was seeing other people suffer as she did.

"Heeey~ Come on~ Where did your confidence go~, hmmmm~?" I said with a smile. Daniel was simply focusing on where I was running, trying to predict where I would land and where he needed to shoot to hit me.

Of course, I could always use Sticky Fingers to rebound his bullets, but I couldn't show all my hands yet.

Speaking of which.

"Heeey~ Daniel~ You don't think I can't hit you from here as well, right~?" I said, dodging left and right as he kept on firing. I saw him starting to get anxious from my words.

"I have a gun as well~. Here, see~?" I said as I grabbed Matador Carnage from my back, shifting it into a shotgun.

I aimed the shotgun at Daniel, where he started to stand up and start running as well. He started to avoid wherever the tip of my barrel was pointing to.

But that didn't matter, my next hit was never going to miss, no matter where he ran to, and how fast he ran.

I slowly pulled the trigger, and…

"Bang~"

_**BATUUUUUUUUUUUUAAAAANG!**_

_**What's this!? The metal ball!**_

The same metal ball, that was on the floor, flew from the ground and back into Daniel's temple. I saw his eyes tremble in surprise and confusion. I took this moment to lunge, using the thread of Aura that connected his chin to my foot for extra speed, and for Daniel to be caught off guard once more. It was a roundhouse kick to his left temple this time, opposite of where the steel ball was spinning into. It was empowered by Aura Distribute (流) this time, since I didn't know how Daniel would retaliate. If, he could retaliate.

_**Another Kick! Magenta is ruthless tonight!**_

_**Mantra: Aura Distribute (**__**流**__**) has gained a level!**_

And that was all it needed for Daniel to fly to the side, sliding to the ground (assisted by the steel ball), and didn't stand back up.

_**[You've defeated Daniel Goldman!]  
[You have gained 15,000 Exp!]  
[You have gained (1) level!]**_

_**Daniel is in the reds! And it's clear that he's not in the condition to continue any further! The winner iiiis: Magenta Valentine! And it only lasted 1 minute and a half, too!**_

Half of the crowd went wild, drowning out the other half.

"Sorry, Daniel~" I said, as I turned around and started to walk back out of the arena. "But it looks like you couldn't last 5 minutes, after all~."

* * *

I watched with Ruby and Yang as Vegas and Heat fought. Vegas got the wrong opponent to fight against: It was a sniper, who was able to fire her bullets at a longer range than Vegas's coins. While Vegas did manage to shoot down some of her bullets, few that carried nets inside and other trinkets caused him to get distracted, making the girl whittle his aura down to the reds.

Heat got a guy that got in close range, a 15-year-old kid with a sledgehammer. Dodge right, slash. Dodge left, unload a clip into the poor kid's stomach. Dodge back, and rush back in with both claws extended. Heat managed to tear a new one in the guy, and ended the fight in 2 minutes.

It was my turn again, and now I had to fight the sniper girl.

"Oi Magenta, beat the girl for me, will yah?" Vegas shouted as I started to walk back into the arena.

"I'm not into domestic violence, but ok," I said back at him, smirking. He simply groaned at me.

"You fucking know well enough that I didn't mean that." I simply laughed at him

"I know. I know. I'll go break her legs."

"...Don't actually do that, dude."

_**On the right, we have Terra Citrus! Age 14, she's a student in Pharos Academy known for her excellent aim and creative uses of her custom bullets!**_

Cheers erupted as Claudia entered the arena. She maintained a neutral, blank expression. Her ice-blue eyes looked cold, which stood out in contrast to her orange hair, kept short with her right side longer than her left. She quietly looked at the left entrance, where I was waiting to be announced.

_**And on the left, we have Magenta Valentine! Age 14, the top of the first years in Signal Academy, known for the unorthodox and the unexpected moves! Devious, creative, and ruthless!**_

I walked out of the left entrance, and cheers were erupting from the arena once more. I looked at Claudia and smiled warmly. She simply nodded at me and started to take her stance.

_**Terra Citrus  
[The cold and grounded Sniper]  
Level: 37  
Hp: 1,596/1,596  
Aura: 3,856/3,856**_

I took mine as well, and we waited for the count down.

_**The fight will start in… 3!**_

_**2!**_

_**1!**_

_**Fight!**_

Terra immediately jumped and opened fired. The steel ball I threw whizzed past her head and landed on the floor behind her. The Aura Reinforcement (周), as well as the 「Spin」, caused the ground to shatter, forming a crater filled with loose shards of concrete.

_**OOooooh, looks like Magenta missed his shot! The ball is now embedded into the ground! And look at the strength he threw it at! He's definitely not going easy!**_

Terra wasn't just a better shot, she was also more aware of her situation. She avoided the circle of loose concrete shards without even looking, and kept on firing at where I would run to. I had to quickly turn foot, jump, and even roll as she unloaded her rifle.

She loaded a bullet into her rifle, and promptly fired at me once more.

It was mid-way through the bullet's travel when the bullet promptly burst into a net.

She was forcing me to either get trapped in the net, or avoid it and promptly take a clean hit in.

But I had the third option to choose from, the one she didn't expect.

_**What's this!? Magenta decided to throw his steel ball at Terra's net! I wonder what he's trying to do!?**_

Terra looked surprised as well, judging by her neutral expression breaking into a frown. Of course, throwing a ball may slow down the net, but one still had to dodge it.

But not this ball.

The ball was encompassed by the net, and immediately used its own friction force to its advantage, causing the nets to spin and form another layer on the steel ball.

_**WOOOW!? Who knew a steel ball could do that!? All it took was a throw of a ball to make the net useless!**_

I took the opening to my full advantage, grabbing the ball that was returning to me, met still intact, and ran towards Terra. Terra broke out of her stupor and jumped back, and I threw the steel ball at her as soon as her foot touched the floor.

She saw the ball travel at her, spinning, and she turned her waist to get out of the ball's trajectory.

_**BAKUUUUUUUAAAAANG!**_

"_AAAAUUUUGH!" _A feminine voice screamed out in pain.

_**HOLY HELL! THE BALL JUST WENT FROM A STRAIGHT TO A CURVE! IT HIT CLAUDIA RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES!**_

She was suffering from 3 things: Extreme headache, sudden force, and being momentarily blinded by the ball.

_**Terra has been inflicted with the status effect [Blind]!**_

_**Terra has been inflicted with the status effect [Vulnerable]!**_

She was open, and who was I not to take advantage of that.

I quickly jumped, landing on my hands with my knees to my chest, my feet pointed to her stomach. Enhanced with Aura Trade (硬) on both legs, I unloaded two push kicks at once.

_**Critical Hit!**_

"UUUUUUUURGH!"

_**OOOOOOOH, Magenta doesn't take it easy on his opponent, even if she's a girl! That really looked like it hurts! Sounds like it hurts too!**_

She doubled over, making the back of her head open for another hit. I quickly spun on my hands and lifted both my legs high up, and swung them down into two consecutive axe kicks -one quickly following the other-.

But it seemed that she had plans of her own. She hid her hands as she doubled over, and once they were shown again, two cylindrical canisters rolled around my hands.

Flashbangs.

Only one kick landed on her head as the grenades went off. I continued to swing the other leg down. It did hit her, but it wasn't her head.

The feeling of the kick looked like I hit her back, or shoulders instead. Possibly her legs. I quickly landed back on my legs and ran in a random direction.

I felt two shots dig into my left shoulder and arm, and the force lifted me off the ground before shortly having me land on my right shoulder and arm. I quickly used my momentum to start rolling on the floor, before I got back up with handsprings. My left limb was tingling, and I could feel the muscles spaz out, uncontrollable. Was she using lightning dust?

_**OOOOH, Magenta's finally been hit! Is this the start of Terra's comeback!? Or is this just a fluke!?**_

Two more shots were heard as I felt pain dig into my chest and stop. I had enough footing this time to simply skid across the concrete floor. Cards flew out of my pockets as the force caused my jacket to flutter. The force the bullets had was brutal; it was quite clear that the bullets were being assisted by gravity dust. It was more to push me back, disorient me with the force going through to my organs, than actually damage me.

_**And two more hits land on Magenta! It doesn't seem much, but knowing her style, I'd say this is the start of her victory!**_

When my sight returned, I saw Terra in front of me.

First off, she was fast. The distance between us was further than the start, and that was only under 5 seconds.

Second off, she was in a much worse state than I was. She was heaving deeply, and she looked like the axe kick dealt severe after-effects: as she was rolling her shoulders and shaking her head to get something out of her mind.

"What's the matter~," I called out to her, teeth bare as my lips were twisted into a smile. "You look like you're trying to get water out of your ear~."

_**Magenta is going with a casual taunt! Is he really that confident in this match!?**_

She simply glared at me, and held up her sniper rifle to shoot at me again. It seemed that she was backing away from me in panic, as she was now standing on the loose concrete shards.

Perfect.

I started to run left and right, avoiding her shots as best as I could. She seemed to be focused on trying to shoot at me. Under normal circumstances, she would be aware of her surroundings while still focused on me.

But she had taken heavy hits to her stomach, head, and shoulder. Even if she was protected by Aura, the force and pain would remain.

And pain, unless one was accustomed to it constantly, was a good distraction to the mind.

She seemed to have loaded her bullets with dust now, as the bullets burst into flames, winds and electricity upon contact with the ground, creating traps and hazards on the floor.

But I was the one who made them first.

I shot my Aura towards the loose shards of concrete, hiding it with Aura Concealment(隱). I shot the other end of Sticky Fingers to her left calf, and willed it to contract.

And I simply watched her eyes go wide as she started to lose balance.

_**What did Magenta DO!? The shards started to fly from the ground to Terra's left leg! She's losing balance!**_

I kicked the cards around the floor and rushed straight towards Terra, spinning on my hands and doing a sweeping kick on the back of her right leg, trying to make her stumble.

_**Claudia is falling on her back! What is this!? Had Magenta been planning this from the start!?**_

And it worked, she was caught off guard by the shards of concrete digging into her Aura, the force causing her to stumble and put more force on her right leg, which promptly backfired when I swung the back of my foot behind her knee, causing her to fall backwards.

She regained enough to roll away from my elbow strike, standing up and jumping back, firing at me.

And landing on my cards.

She really was panicking, by the looks of it.

I simply took the hits, and rushed forward, reaching out to take the returning steel ball that was in the crater. I rushed forward to her, trying to dodge the bullets with all of my might, and I went in for an uppercut to her stomach when I got close.

She tried to jump away from my kick, but 「Sticky Fingers」 wasn't going to let her.

As soon as she tried to jump, she was pulled back to the ground, thanks to Sticky Fingers sticking onto her soles when she stepped on the cards.

"Check mate~." The punch went in, and Aura Distribute (流) was a bitch and a half to experience.

"_Ughuup-"_Her voice escaped out of her throat as her kidney took a direct punch, the strength of the Aura equaling the amount of all four of my limbs at once.

She went down on her knees and clutched her stomach, she showed no signs of standing back up.

_**[You have defeated Terra Citrus!]  
[You have gained 15,300 Exp!]**_

_**Unbelievable, Terra fell to her knees! And her Aura's in the red! It's Magenta's victory! What a hit!**_

I smiled weakly at Terra, who was still looking at the ground, heaving.

"Thanks for the fight," I said quietly, before walking out of the arena.

* * *

It was Heat and another guy's turn. While I was watching the match, a shadow loomed to the right of me.

"Hey," Ruby was the first to point and shout out. "You're that Terra girl!"

"... I'm here for Magenta."

"Oooooh, what for~?" Yang was the one that asked, a teasing tone was evident in her voice.

Terra ignored the two girls and walked up to me, I slowly broke away from Heat's fight as I turned to look at her. She extended her hands towards me.

"... Congratulations, and thanks for the fight." That's all she said as she waited for me to shake her hand.

I did without hesitation.

"You're welcome. I.. hope I didn't hit you too hard."

She smiled.

"You did."

"...Sorry."

"That's fine. It's a tournament, hits like they are meant to be thrown. I just couldn't dodge it, that's all."

My lips stretched into a thin smile.

"I just wanted to come here to say that, since I wasn't able to show you my gratitude back before."

Yang walked up behind Terra and threw her arm around the orange-haired girl's shoulder.

"Oooh, is that really all you wanted to say to Pinkie~?"

Terra ignored Yang's teasing, and simply lifted Yang's arm off her shoulders.

"Best of luck to you, Magenta."

"Likewise, I guess."

Terra turned on the balls of her foot and silently walked off.

"...Sheesh…. Party pooper." Yang said with disappointment.

"...Yang, don't tease people when you meet them for the first time." I deadpanned.

She simply shrugged her shoulders, with a smirk that showed just how little she cared.

_**Oooooooh, Heat is down! The victory of this Semifinals is in the hands of Bale Sprite!**_

We saw Heat sprawled on his back as Bale simply thanked him for the fight and left the arena.

"...Guess it's my turn now." I stood up from my seats to prepare for the fight.

"Go win this fight, Magenta!" Ruby shouted out

"Kick his butt, Pinkie!" Yang called out as well, just as excited as Ruby.

"Rip a new one for Heat!" Vegas finished the cheer with ferocity.

If I wanted to win this, I needed to use Matador Carnage to its full potential.

-line-

_**ALRIGHT PEOPLE, THIS IS THE MOMENT YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR: THE ONE, THE ONLY, THE FINAAAAALES OF THE VALE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT! THIS SHALL DECIDED THIS YEAR'S CHAMPIIIIIIOOOOOOON!**_

_**On the right, we have our 2 years consecutive Vale regional tournament champion! AND HIS. NAME. IS. BALE SPRIIIIIIITE, THE BALEFUL SPIRIT!**_

I wonder if I would get nicknames like this when I became champion. I heard chanting coming from the crowd as Bale entered the arena.

He was a man with blonde hair like wheat. A man that was nearly the same height as me, with a very athletic build. He had a lance in his hands (The ones that were a spear with a big blade, not the jousting lance), which had an engine and other machinery on the bottom of the blade.

"_BAIL, BAIL, BAIL THE FIGHT! IF YOU CAN'T STAND UP TO THE BALEFUL SPRITE!"_

Jesus Christ, he even had his own chants.

_**And to the left, we have our challenger to the throne! You've seen him merciless, you've seen him devious! You've seen him and his mysterious semblance! And you know his name, it's MAGENTA VALENTIIIIIIIIIIINE!**_

I entered the arena, ready to face the champion, as I heard half the crowd cheer and half the crowd simply silent in anticipation.

Bale smiled at me cheerfully, and bowed.

"I wish you the very best!" That's all he said.

_**Bale Sprite  
[The Vale regional 2-year champion]  
Level: 47  
Hp: 3,485/3,485  
Aura: 3,485/3,485**_

"Likewise, Bale," I said to him, smiling.

His face turned serious once he readied his lance, going down to an aggressive stance. I took Matador Carnage off my back and turned it out of its compartment mode. The square box extended and unfolded itself into a giant crescent blade, as I had it on my shoulders and waited for the fight to start.

"So that's his weapon!" Ruby shouted enthusiastically in the spectators' seat. "I wonder what it turns into! I wanna see, I wanna see!"

"Calm down, sis." Yang said to Ruby, "You'll see it soon enough."

_**The match will start in….. 3!**_

_**2!**_

_**1!**_

_**Fight!**_

Bale rushed forward first: his speed was leagues above the last 2 contestants.

I swung my crescent blade around my body to strike the Lance down, using the momentum to deliver a scorpion kick to Bale's head.

Bale dodged the kick effortlessly and tackled me, pinning me to the floor. His knees were on my wrists, preventing me to try and strike back with my arms. He was lifting his lance to stab me in the sides.

_**Bale goes for first blood! And if Magenta's not lucky, this could be the last blood as well!**_

But his first mistake was letting my fingers free to move around.

I pointed my fingers to his ankles, letting 「Sticky Fingers」 do the rest. I then pointed at the ground, 10 metres away. I shot the other end of my Aura and saw the result.

_**It looks like Magenta not out of the fight yet! He's sending Bale flying backwards with his semblance!**_

Bale was flying backwards, getting his legs dragged by 「Sticky Fingers」. I immediately took this chance to leap forward, Matador Carnage in my left hand and my steel ball in my right.

I quickly threw the steel ball at Bale in a straight trajectory, and he decided to try and dodge.

_**BAKUUUUUUAAAAANG!**_

_**IT HAPPENED AGAIN! THE BALL HAS SUDDENLY TURNED INTO A CURVE THE MOMENT BALE TRIED TO DODGE IT!**_

Bale's reflexes were a lot better than the others too, he saw the ball fly into a curve and he brought his arm up to his head at a surprising speed.

The steel ball got lodged into his arm instead of his head.

That's ok, I can work with that.

Bale readied his other arm to stab me with his lance, the lance was approaching me at lightning speed.

He was fast, unnaturally fast.

But that didn't matter, so long as the steel ball was on his arm.

_**Now, why would Bale block his own attack!? Is this the work of Magenta's Semblance!?**_

His arm, the one with the steel ball 「Spinning」 into it, suddenly twisted around to strike his other wrist, causing the lance's jab to falter.

Confusion and bewilderment were washed over his face as he saw his own arm betray him. I saw his eyes quickly turn to the steel ball, and seems to have understood what happened.

I tried to throw a right cross at him, but he quickly moved his head to dodge it, without even looking. But he couldn't dodge Matador Carnage, which sliced his torso in a diagonal swinging motion.

He jumped back when I brought Matador Carnage down, keeping his eyes on me now, watching my next move. I simply lifted Matador Carnage from the concrete floor, leaving behind a small gash in the ground and a crater around it.

He moved his right hand to his left arm, touching the steel ball, possibly with the intent of removing.

_**What's this!? Bale's fingers are twisting into odd angles the moment he touched the ball!**_

He quickly pulled his hand back, flinching at the bizarre event. He quickly looked to his hand, and I used this opening to slowly 「Spin」 another steel ball, using a palm technique (the start of every great magical performance) to hide it from Bale's view.

I also saw that 「Sticky Fingers」 was still attached to his legs.

"...This is a very bizarre semblance…" That was all Bale muttered to me, sweat dripping on his forehead.

I smiled at him.

"I am often called a unique individual~."

"I can see that. You're definitely memorable, too."

"Thank you~."

"Although, while I don't like to toot my own horn, I have a few tricks of my own."

"Oh~, you do? Though I'm confident to tell you that I have more tricks up my sleeve."

"Maybe you do. But then again, it's not the size that matters, it's how you use it."

"True~."

Bale then shook his lance, the blade retracting and sliding down the engine of his weapon. The shaft of the lance retracted in to form a handle, and plates on the engine shifted and twisted to form a barrel of a rather bulky gun.

He fired the gun as I ran to him, and I saw two pellets, the size of half a cannonball, fly out of the barrel.

The pellets, travelling at a steady speed, and it was quite slow for bullets. I shifted my feet to jump out of the way.

Then the pellets suddenly started to accelerate once it travelled half the distance.

I was caught off guard by the sudden shift in speed, and I tried to dodge out of the way.

One hit me squarely in the shin.

_**BALE HAS STARTED TO USE HIS SEMBLANCE! HE'S GETTING SERIOUS AGAINST MAGENTA NOW!**_

I skidded on the floor, using my other leg to use as a brake.

"Surprised?"

"Can't say I'm not. I guess that's your semblance, huh?"

"Yeah, it's pretty obvious in what it is, unlike yours."

Acceleration. Simply, but it was deadly in the right hands. That's how he was able to swing his arms so fast.

I guess his semblance is Ruby+1.

He quickly took aim and fired, 2 pellets were going at the steady speed, then accelerating in a blink of an eye.

Even if I knew about it, it still caught me off guard. You never knew when he would activate his semblance.

But that was fine, it was time to use my own tricks.

I saw the crowd gasp in shock at what I did. Bale wasn't any different, his eyes were wide as an owl, and his mouth was ajar.

_**Jesus Christ, Magenta is full of TRICKS! SOMEHOW, HE MANAGED TO GET HIMSELF FLATTENED LIKE PANCAKES! HE'S DODGING THROUGH BALE'S BULLETS!**_

Arigato, Gyro.

The steel ball that was in my hand was now on my back. It climbed on my arm during this whole commotion, and I'm sure some of the crowd saw what I did. The rules of no interference with the punishment of disqualification was the only thing that may have kept them quiet about it.

And I'm sure they were too speechless to say anything when my body suddenly turned thin.

I quickly ran up to Bale, and managed to deliver a kick to his forearm, the one that held his lance.

_**BAAAAM!**_

_**Magenta has retaliated with a kick!**_

Good, 「Sticky Fingers」 was on his arms now. And the kick took some Aura off Bale, too.

I jumped back before he could counter, the steel ball on his arm shot back into my hand. I ran back at him after he tried to swipe me, lifting Matador Carnage up and swing it around.

Matador Carnage was twirling in my palm like a saw blade, as I unleashed an onslaught of slices.

The moment Bale tried to jump away from it, I immediately brought him back with the 「Sticky Fingers」 on his arm, the elastic and adhesive Aura acting as a leash, a restraint.

_**What's this, Bale has been pulled back in! He's taking all the hits!**_

Bale took the first few slashes, before bringing up his arms in a cross to guard himself.

His right arm was pulled out of the defensive stance thanks to 「Sticky Fingers」, and I started to focus heavily on his right shoulder, bringing down the curved blade to where the socket would be.

The moment few of hits connected, Bale brought his wrist up to fire his gun. It hit me squarely in the chest and made me fly back.

_**Bale finally countered! But it's not looking good for the champion! Both of them are currently in the yellow!**_

I landed on my two feet and skidded to a halt. I looked back at Bale, and I saw that he was a bit shaken.

"... What the hell is your semblance?"

"I magician never tells his secret. It's bad for business, you know~."

I rushed forward again, and I had a plan in my head. I quickly imbued Matador Carnage with the 「Spin」 and threw it at him.

I rolled to the side and saw me empty-handed.

He didn't charge in though, since he knew about my steel balls.

He simply unloaded pellets after pellets at me, waiting to see what I would do.

I simply raised both of my hands, leaving my entire head and body vulnerable between them.

"Let me show you a magic trick~." I said nonchalantly, as if the pellets were invisible to me.

"I'm going to make these bullets…."

The bullets whizzed between my hands, soaring to my head and body.

"...stop in mid-air!"

And true to my words, the bullets, even with the acceleration from Bale's Semblance, stopped just an inch away from my body.

_**Magenta has stopped the bullets from reaching him! The bullets are just floating mid-air! Are we really dealing with a normal student!?**_

The bullets were caught in 「Sticky Fingers」 and were threatening to rebound back to their owner any second.

"Here, I'll give these back to you!"

The pellets promptly shot back towards Bale, who was momentarily stunned by the act. He rolled to the side to dodge them, and was now off the ground.

That's all I needed.

_**SHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIING!**_

_**BZZZZZZZZZZZCRRAAAAUUUCK!**_

_**MAGENTA'S WEAPON! IT'S-**_

Matador Carnage flew into Bale's back the moment he was back on the ground, digging into him like a giant wheel of death.

Thanks to the 「Spin」, and 「Sticky Fingers」, Matador Carnage was returning back into my hand, and Bale was simply in the smack damn middle of the trajectory.

_**IT'S IN BALE'S BACK!**_

He was stunned, and the force from the giant circular blade was causing him to be pushed in my direction.

I quickly dealt him a high kick to the chin.

He was vulnerable now.

Matador Carnage spun around Bale's back, leaving behind severe damage to his Aura.

I twisted the middle section of the hand the moment it came back into my hand.

Bale was staggering, and it was time for the coup de grace.

Matador Carnage shifted into a battle axe, and I lifted it over my shoulders, and used all of my weight to swing it down to Bale's head.

Bale looked up to see the blade in front of his eyes.

And that's all he saw.

The blade hit Bale straight into the ground, lodging his head into the concrete floor.

His Aura, depleted completely, was just enough to protect him from any fatal damage.

But Bale lost the match either way.

_**[You defeated Bale Sprite!]  
[You have gained 20,500 Exp!]  
[You have gained (1) level!]**_

_**BALE HAS LOST THE MATCH! HIS AURA IS COMPLETELY DEPLETED! IT'S THE RISE OF A NEW CHAMPION, THIS YEAR'S WINNER OF THE VALE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT IIIIIIISSSSSS MAGENTA VALENTINE!**_

There were cheers erupting in waves from the crowd.

I did it.

I won.

I was the Vale regional tournament champion.

And now I had to do this 3 more times.

...

...Shhhiiit.

... This was going to be a pain in the ass.

_**Goal Cleared!**_

_**Objective: Become Champion of the Vale regional tournament  
Reward: +800 Fame, Title: [Vale Regional Champion], 67,000 Exp**_

_**You have gained 67,000 Exp!  
You have gained (3) levels!  
You have gained +800 Fame! People in Vale have watched your fight, and saw your performance! People in Vale will now recognize you, Heat, and Vegas! You have gained admiration from fellow students and other people in Remnant!  
You have gained the Title: [Vale Regional Champion]! You are now recognized as the new champion! You're devious wits and your awesome performance has set you up as a formidable fighter!**_

_**Magenta Valentine  
Age: 13  
Title: [The Pink Prodigy], [The Magenta Magician], [Signal Initiate], [Top of Signal], [Heir to the Dancer], [Casino Crew], [Vidarr the Second], [Vale Regional Champion]  
Level: 50  
Hp: 2,863/2,863  
Aura: 5,989/5,989  
Vajra: [Locked]  
Str: 108 (77 + 45%)  
Vit: 56 (40 + 40%)  
Dex: 108 (77 + 45%)  
Mnt: 22  
Int: 144 (80 + 80%)  
Wis: 144 (80 + 80%)  
Chr: 24 (19 + 25%)**_

_**50 Points**_

Well, I don't feel like I'm going to be losing any fights in this tournament.

* * *

**_Yo Guys, I'm a bit stuck and I want your guys' opinion._**

**_Should the next chapter be 3 years later, and have the 4 year champion thing done and dusted so that he can fight Roman Torchwick with Ruby and finally go to fucking Beacon, or do you guys want the 3 individual finale fights and Magenta hanging out with his friends in between the fights, and make that the whole chapter?_**

**_Let me know in the review and I'll do the one that had the most votes._**


	8. 「Tranquil」 times, 「Spreading」 Rots

_**ALRIGHT, PEOPLE, THIS IS THE MOMENT YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR: THE ONE, THE ONLY, THE FINAAAAALS OF THE VALE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT! THIS SHALL DECIDE THIS YEAR'S CHAMPIIIIIIOOOOOOON!**_

_**On the right, we have Carmine Fandango! She's a promising individual who has shown to be very capable of using her Estoc to deadly effects!**_

_**And on our left, we have our current champion of the Vale regional tournament! He's strong, he's fast, he's devious! He's filled with secrets and 0 intentions on telling them! Give it up for the Magenta Magician: It' VALEEEENTIIIINE!**_

"_Go go, Valentine! Go go, Valentine!"_The audience resonated with shouts and cheers as I stepped into the Arena. Matador Carnage was resting on my back.

Carmine was grinning at me haughtily. Her outfit was that of a traditional knight, fully armoured with shining crimson plates with an estoc in her hands.

"I'm sorry, my friend," She shouted out with a smile. "But I'm afraid that you'll no longer be champion."

"Oh, please~," I replied. "If you can last 5 minutes, the champion seat's all yours~."

_**And Magenta offers her the same deal he gave to Daniel last year! Will this match be any different!?**_

"Don't think I don't know your tricks; I've seen what you've done."

"Oh?"

"I don't fully understand it, but I know that you won't be an easy opponent."

"That's an understatement~."

"I know, but I can't show you how I feel in this match, right?"

"I suppose so. But let me tell you something."

"I'm all ears, champion."

"The moment you walked into this arena,"

I pointed my index finger at her, subtly shooting out an Aura thread (hidden with Aura Concealment(隱)) to her jaw.

"This battle was already over, and its victor was chosen."

_**What a statement from Magenta! Is he that confident in his capabilities!?**_

I saw Carmine frown at my words, as she pulled her estoc back and prepared herself.

"Then I guess you better be trying your best to stay as the victor!" She shouted.

"No. Not really~, it doesn't take that much effort."

_**Let's see if the match really will go as Magenta predicted! The match will start in….. 3!**_

I saw her crouching down, putting more force in her back leg, ready to lunge.

_**2!**_

I crouched down as well, attaching my 「Sticky Fingers」 to a spot in the floor 10 metres west from me.

_**1!**_

_**Fight!**_

She quickly lunged forward, pushing her estoc out to stab me.

She was fast, really fast. And she was no doubt relying on her speed to attack the moment the match started, to catch me off guard and get at least one direct hit.

And it did catch me off guard, I didn't know she was going to travel that much distance in less than a second.

And thank god I made preparations before this fight started: the amount of Aura enveloping her blade was absurd.

I quickly contracted the 「Sticky Fingers」 on my back feet, and lunged to my left. The contraction assisted my dodge, and the estoc barely missed. I could feel the wind pressure on my cheek, made from the jab of the blade.

A quickly delivered a quick jab to her side, which she just took, before countering with another jab from her estoc. Enveloped my arms with 「Sticky Fingers」, and brought them up to guard myself against the lightning-quick jab.

_**MAGENTA HAS BEEN HIT! PERHAPS HE BECAME TOO CONFIDENT!**_

Carmine smirked at the hit, even if it was guarded. But she faltered when she saw me smile.

The estoc was now coated with 「Sticky Fingers」, with the Aura strand that connected her jaw to my index finger now transferred to the blade.

If I do this right, the fight will end in the next minute.

I subtly pulled out a steel ball, making sure that she didn't see what I did.

Man, Palm techniques are the must needed base for all competent magicians.

I jumped back and brought Matador Carnage up as a makeshift shield.

Carmine simply pulled out a magazine and loaded it into her estoc.

"I don't know what you're planning, but this is going to end the match." She stated.

"I agree, but not in the way you expect~," I replied.

I saw her frown, and the blade started to spark with electricity.

_**PACHICHICHICHICHICHI!**_

So it was lightning dust.

The electricity started to jump from her blade to her legs, and then her arms. She was crouching herself, and like that she was gone in a flash.

She didn't charge straight in though, she appeared behind me.

Where I was vulnerable.

But it didn't matter where she was since my Aura was already placed.

_**AND LIKE THAT, CARMINE IS GOING IN FOR THE KILL! IS IT THE END FOR OUR CHAMPION!?**_

「STICKY FINGERS」!

_**BAKIII!**_

_**WHAT'S THIS!? CARMINE'S ESTOC HAS BETRAYED HER! NO DOUBT MAGENTA HAS PULLED SOME STRINGS!**_

Her estoc twisted in her hand before it could land on me, her arm twisted along with her estoc, and the blade landed on her chin with the same force she used to jab at me.

_**PACHIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!**_

The electricity she charged her blade with backfired, going right through her head, a considerable amount of her Aura was expended in negating the damage.

The shock (of both sources) caused her to become disorientated. She was vulnerable

But her course of flight remained unchanged: she was still heading for me.

I jumped into the air, spinning in the atmosphere filled with shock and awe. I twirled the giant curved blade around my body, turning into a small cyclone of crescent blades.

And she was too shocked to even a guard. She could do nothing but feel the pain of the dance of a thousand twirling blades

But the time she landed in the ground, a crater forming under her due to the crushing final blow of Matador Carnage, her Aura was completely depleted. All we could hear from her were coughs and groans.

_**[You have defeated Carmine Fandango!]  
**__**[You have gained 20,500 Exp!]  
[You have gained (1) level!]**_

_**MY GOODNESS, A COMEBACK IN LESS THAN A SECOND! DID MAGENTA PLAN ALL OF THIS FROM THE START, OR WAS LADY VICTORY SIMPLY ON HIS SIDE!? NEVERTHELESS, THE WINNER IS OUR CHAMPION: MAGENTAAAA VAAAALEEENIIIIINE!**_

The crowd roared into cheers at the match. I simply looked to the crowd and bowed.

"Word of advice," I turned to the slumped figure in the crater. "You need to be more aware of what's around you."

And with that, I walked out of the arena, spreading cards around the floor as I left.

_**Goal Cleared!  
Objective: Win the Vale regional tournament!  
Reward: 67,000 Exp, +500 Fame, Evolution of Title: [Vale Regional Champion]**_

_**You have gained 67,000 Exp!  
You have gained (2) levels!**_

_**You have gained +500 Fame! People have seen your performance and skill in maintaining yourself as the champion! Now people in Atlas and Mistral have started to hear about your achievement! **_

_**Your Title: **__**[Vale Regional Champion] has evolved!  
Title: [The Vale regional 2-year champion]**_

It felt great, to be quite honest.

Not just the fame, but the fact that I was the strongest 15-year-old in Vale.

But I was overconfident. I was too enraptured by such fights.

I didn't realize that while I was fighting away for being the top of vale for 4 years,

Evil started to dig its root on Remnant.

Growing, so that its roots may destroy not just Remnant,

But also the harmony of the multiverse maintained by Ahura Mazda.

_**Chapter 8: **__**「**__**Tranquil**__**」 **__**times, **__**「**__**Spreading**__**」 **__**Rots**_

* * *

"You….. you want us to do what now?" I asked.

We were in an expensive restaurant in Vale, and plates of lavish food were encircling the table.

People were looking over to our table, whispering to each other. Some were even taking out their scrolls to take a picture.

But the offer this man in front of us gave made us ignore the enticing smell of sauce and meat, as well as the attention we brought to ourselves.

"We want you three to star as a mascot for 3 new Pumpkin Pete's brand."

Vegas raised his hand.

"Yes?" The cleanly dressed businessman asked.

"I-I get that why Magenta would get that offer… b-but, why us? Why me and Heat?" Vegas asked as he looked to Heat.

Heat nodded in agreement, wanting to hear the answer as well.

"Well, it's because you three are famous for your dynamic." The businessman answered.

"Excuse me? Could you please specify?" Heat asked this time. He was confused by what the businessman stated.

The businessman smiled.

"Not only are you guys famous for being 4 to 3 years semifinalists, but you guys have become quite famous in Vale for your achievements of clearing out the Grimm, and for the teamwork you all display. They have even started to call you 3 'The Casino Crew'."

"So you're saying that we got famous for being a team?" Vegas asked.

"Yes. And that created quite the synergy to all 3 of your fame."

"...I see….." Heat simply stated, putting his thumb and index finger on his chin, contemplating.

"I have a question," I asked.

"Fire away."

"Why didn't Bale Sprite get any offers like this? He was the 2 years Vale regional champion as well."

"Well, that's because of the difference in the two of you, to put it lightly."

"I don't understand."

The businessman sighed.

"How do I put this…. Of course, Bale Sprite has also garnered his fair share of fame. He was skilled, and he showed that in the tournament. However, his skill was straightforward. It was that of a highly-skilled fighter, yes. But, it's human nature to see something fresh. Something original. Of course, some people would argue otherwise. And depending on the result, they may be right. But in this case, it turned out that people _were_ drawn to something fresh. You're fighting style was something that people rarely saw in public. Your semblance, your fighting style, they don't know what to expect. It's like a magician's show, flamboyant on the outside, riddled with secrets on the inside. That's why they call you the Magenta Magician. You brought something new to the table, and people ate that up without hesitation. Combine that with your actual skills surpassing Bale, you just garnered fame like a celebrity. Well, I guess you are one now."

"... I see."

The businessman took his glasses off and started to clean them with a handkerchief.

"We also have 3 products ready. Here," The businessman pulled out a scroll and handed it over to us.

3 boxes were displayed on the screen.

Pumpkin Pete: Strawberry Blush, with a magenta coloured box. Guess this was mine.

Pumpkin Pete: Citrus Crush, which had oranges, lemons and mandarins in them. The box had a golden hue to it, and this was no doubt Vegas's.

Pumpkin Pete: Cranberry Rush, a crimson box with Cranberries lining the side. Crimson hue coating the box. This was Heat's.

"Damn….. Look at those boxes!" Vegas remarked.

"And we're gonna be in them…." Heat followed.

"I take it you 3 like the design?"

"YEAH!" Heat and Vegas shouted in unison.

"Could we get some samples to test out?" I asked instead.

"Wait, why would... Oh yeah, that makes sense." Heat was the first to understand my request.

"Hm?... Oooh, it won't sell well if it tastes bad, and then it'll just be an embarrassment….." Vegas found out my intention soon after.

"Of course, I thought you might ask that, so I brought the samples as well. But before that, let's eat what's in front of us first, shall we?"

We didn't complain, and we dug in soon after.

* * *

Suffice to say, the cereals tasted nice. Not the greatest, but it was enough to make a considerable profit without us on the front of the box.

I didn't expect that they'd sell out so fast when we _did_ put our faces on it.

"Your face is on Pumpkin Pete's! I can't believe it! You're famous now! Ooooooh, I can't wait to tell my friends about this!" Ruby was running around the room with the Strawberry Blush box.

Ruby was also a Signal student, passing last year's entrance test (which was being pitted against other participants, instead of Grimm). She managed to pass, but only barely. This shocked Ruby, and that was understandable. Not only did Yang manage to pass with a solid undisputable rank, but Heat got in as 3rd place and Vegas and I also got first place in my entrance test. She was the only one between us

She made it her mission to nag Uncle Qrow to train her, which he finally relented.

Apparently, Magenta Carnage became an inspiration for her Crescent Rose's appearance, with the function and the base being Harbinger, Uncle Qrow's scythe.

Huh, never thought I'd be inspiring the main character's weapon.

…..

Damn, I feel happy, actually.

"Well, I need to go and get a new pack of cards. The one I'm using is getting bent, and the edges are splitting. Vegas and Heat also asked to buy some chips and soda for the Boys Sleepover night we have on tonight. You guys need anything in the city?"

"Ooooh, oooh, I need some more parts to finish up Crescent Rose! I'll come with you!" Ruby shouted, placing the cereal box back down on the table and running up to me, ready to go out the door.

"I don't need anything, so you two have fun on your date~," Yang replied with a grin, winking at Ruby.

"Yang! It's not a date! We're just going out to buy things." Ruby retorted.

"That sounds like a date to me, sis." Yang simply answered, putting her hands behind the back of her head and slumping further into the couch.

"You know how she is, Ruby. Just ignore her when she teases you." I said to Ruby, giving reassuring pats on her shoulder.

"You're not helping."

"Am I not?"

"_Haaauuugh…_ Let's just go…" That's all she said, before walking out the door.

* * *

Jesus Christ, the consequences of my decision.

The cards I liked to use was nearly sold out, barely staying on the shelf thanks to the clerk refilling it.

Once people found out what cards I kept using, it brought on a Red Staple effect. People started buying the 2Ⱡ playing card like it was a shard of a sacred relic.

I managed to buy two packs of cards, and 2 1.5L 'People Like Grapes' soda bottles and 3 150g barbeque potato chip packets at the Patch City Mall. After that, we went on our way to the weapons shop.

Luckily, people didn't outright bother me as I walked with Ruby, but I did see some people look at me, whispering and pointing.

One kid even outright shouted out my name. I simply turned to smile and wave.

"...Sorry about this, Ruby…." I apologized to Ruby, who had to deal with this when she didn't have to.

"It's fine, they're not bothering us, anyway!" She replied cheerfully. She started to break into a sprint when she saw the weapon shop.

"Come on, Magenta! The shop's right over there!"

"RUBY, LOOK OUT!"

She ran across the road without even looking.

She turned to see a fucking Panda Trueno speeding towards her.

And she just froze like a deer in a headlight.

I quickly shot out a thread of my Aura onto her back and willed it to contract as fast as possible.

「Sticky Fingers」!

She was immediately pulled backwards, the cord of elastic Aura flinging her into my arms.

_**SKKKKKKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT!**_

The Panda Trueno did an excellent Kansei drift before stopping, the driver got out of the car in bewilderment and fear.

"We're fine!" I shouted out to the driver, who looked and sighed a breath of relief when he saw that the short black-haired girl safely secured in my arms.

"For god's sake, Ruby! I know you're excited about your weapons, but you nearly died like an idiot for it! Look both ways, Uncle Tai kept telling you this!"

Her face remained blank and neutral, before tearing up.

"... I'm sorry…" That was all she could muster out of her voice. She was scared, even if she was safe now. "...I'm sorry…"

"...Look, just remember to look both ways before you cross any more streets. Ok?" I tried my best to calm her down, reassure her that she was safe.

This shit scared me just as much as she did.

She had Aura, sure, but it wasn't enough to withstand a goddamn speeding Panda Trueno.

Her legs breaking would've been the best-case scenario

And I didn't want to think of the worst-case.

I just kept Ruby snug in my arms for quite some time. Ruby decided to turn around and bury her head into my chest, trying her best to not cry.

She failed.

_**/-/**_

We managed to cross the road, safely this time. Ruby held onto my hand and refused to let go. She was still scared, judging by her nose, eyes, and cheeks still being red.

And I told her to stick close to me.

Her initial excitement slowly returned once she got inside the shop.

Motor, pistons, and other pieces of machinery lined up the shop, all vital for weapons.

"Oooh, oooh, oh! Magenta, look!" She pointed to a few of the parts encased inside glass shelves. There were hydraulic pistons and collection of gears. Not to mention metal frames and plates.

"There's too many of them, I don't know what to choose!" She put her hands under her chin, bending over the shelves to look more closely at the weapon parts.

I decided to use the 'Observe' mantra to see what was indeed the best part.

"So, which parts do you need again?" I asked.

"Oh, I need the gears and motors for the frames on the scythe part, as well as the pistons for the handle!"

I quickly looked around the room. There were a few good ones, but I managed to pick out the best ones in the shop.

_**Hydraulic Piston  
Rank: A  
+45% Extension speed**_

_**Rotational motor  
Rank: A+  
+50% Rotating speed**_

_**Scythe Frame  
Rank: A+  
+50% Durability**_

"Here, these should do it." I handed over the parts to Ruby, who widened her eyes at the prices stickers on them.

"Magenta, I can't afford these, I don't have enough!" Ruby said with owlish eyes. She was starting to put them back.

"But I can. I'll pay for it. Come on." I walked up to the counter and pointed to the parts in Ruby's arms.

"I'd like to buy those parts, please."

The clerk, an old man with a beard and golden tint in his grey slicked back hair, just chuckled and calculated the price.

"Magenta!" Ruby shouted in embarrassment.

"You'll need those parts, Ruby. Signal and Beacon aren't going to be as easy as you think."

"But…."

"Don't worry. You can pay me back by doing your best. Make me proud with Crescent Rose."

"That will be 5,67Ⱡ."

"Magenta, that's too much for me! I can't take it!" Ruby was still objecting to me paying for her parts, which only strengthened once she heard the price.

"Not much for me. Besides, you really will need this." I answered her back, trying to reassure her as I handed over the Lien cards

The man chuckled as she looked over to Ruby.

"That's quite the dedication for your girlfriend, lad. You don't see that very often from kids like you."

Ruby's cheeks darkened at the clerk's word.

"W-we're not dating!"

"She's a childhood friend."

"Sure, sure. That's why they all say. One moment, they're just childhood friends, then the very next moment they're found kissing each other."

"... Are you related to Vegas by any chance?"

"Yeah, I'm your friend's grandfather."

"... Thank you for the parts, Mr Dandelion."

Jesus Christ, what a coincidence.

"You're welcome, Magenta. I hope you stay close with little Vegas for a long long time."

"... I'll make sure that I do, sir…."

I walked out of the shop, taking the blushing and bumbling Ruby with me.

"A-a-are you really sure that y-you're okay with g-giving me t-these?" She was stammering her words out while she motioned to the parts in her arms.

"Like I said, Ruby. I'm confident to say that I'm ok giving you those parts. Besides, I got a lot of money from sponsorships and whatnot, and I don't know where to use them. I'm only 15.

"_I'm going to cherish them forever."_ Ruby whispered to herself as she brought the parts closer in her arms.

I simply smiled at her as we returned home.

_**/-/**_

"Ruby, why are you just hugging those parts?" Yang asked her sister.

Ruby had simply put the incomplete Crescent Rose in front of her, and just huddling the parts that Magenta bought for the past 15 minutes.

"Oh, Oh! No reason, I.. I just wanted to….. Feel the parts before it went into Crescent Rose! Yeah!" Ruby stammered out a response, thinking at the top of her head for an excuse.

Yang simply smirked at her sister.

"Oh, so you wanted to feel the parts that Magenta got for you, huh? Is it that special for you?"

"Y-yeah! Of course! It's from a friend!"

"And not because it's specifically from Magenta?"

"W-what!? No! Just get out!"

_**Pomf!**_

A pillow landed on Yang's face as Ruby rushed to close the door.

* * *

"Jesus Christ, Magenta! I SAID HEAL!" Heat was shouting at me for my lack of skills in Grimm Hunter World. The potato chips and soda bottles were lined up on the walls of Vegas's room.

"I'm trying, the fucking Beowolves this piece of shit called out is fucking with my drinking animation!"

"Stop fucking complaining and just fucking kill them already!"

"It takes too much time and effort!"

"MOTHERFUCKER, IT'S TAKING YOU 4 MINUTES TO FUCKING DRINK AROUND THOSE BEOWOLVES! JUST FUCKING KILL THEM AND DRINK!"

I was definitely carrying my team. No complaints about it.

"So Heat," Vegas asked beside him. "How's your ankle?"

"It's fine, why?"

"Oh, I thought it'd hurt because Magenta's fucking dragging us down by it."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm definitely doing my part." I answered flatly, trying my best to hide the frustration in my voice.

"I didn't know deadweight was a crucial role in this game."

"You did not just call me that."

"It was a genuine question, it's your fault for associating it with yourself."

"Fuck you, I know you're fucking insinuating it."

"I don't know about that one chief. Heat, what's your opinion on this?"

"It's a genuine question. No hint of insinuations or any insulting undertone there."

"... You guys are just out to fuck with me."

"That's just your hunch." They both said in unison, focusing back on the game.

Yeah, I was definitely carrying the team.

_**/-/**_

"Wait, your sister's in Shade Academy?" Heat asked Vegas. This was the first time we heard more about Vegas's older sister from our Vegas himself.

"Yeah, she got in early. So she's already 3rd year."

"...Damn, your sister must be the family favourite, huh?"

"Eh, she never managed to get into the semifinals for the Vale regional tournament though, so we both get equal love for different reasons."

"... There shouldn't be a reason for parents to give equal love for their children…" I was perplexed by Vegas's statement, which Heat and Vegas laughed at in response.

"We're just fucking around."

"Guess Magenta's never experienced it, since he's an only child."

"Oh yeah, Magenta really is the only child between us three."

"... Huh, I really am."

"Yo, speaking of which. Heat, how's your brother?"

"Hunting Grimms and married too early. I'm gonna be an uncle at age goddamn 16."

"Yo," Vegas and I both said. "Congrats."

"Oh, thanks. I'll tell Magma that you guys said your baby wishes."

"Oh, well that," We continued, synchronised just to fuck with Heat. "And the fact that you're gonna be an old man at the age of 16."

"... Fuck both of you."

"Hehehe~ Have fun cleaning up after the baby when you go to babysit him."

"Oh fuck you, I'm taking Heat jr to your house to have him fuck up your room, Magenta."

"...Jesus Christ, you named your brother's kid after yourself?" Vegas deadpanned.

"Narcissist."

"Hey, fuck you. I didn't name my nephew after myself. My brother did."

"...Wait, so your nephew's name is actually-"

"... Heat jr. Yes."

"... Are you really that close with your brother, or is his sheer determination to fuck with transcends even fatherly love and responsibility?"

"... We didn't have a father, so it was my brother taking care of me most of the time. He's…. _Haaauugh_…. He's… he's got some brotherly love to give. A lot."

Vegas and I looked at each other, but before we could say anything Heat interrupted.

"No, he's not that obsessive kind, he's just overprotective."

"... How overprotective?" Vegas asked.

"Well, one time when I got into a fight with a kid in a playground….. And lost, my brother got the word of it and started training me at the age of 9 so that I won't lose again."

"Aah, so the substitute father type," I replied.

"Yeah, exactly. Your father was the same, wasn't he?"

"Yep. He… he was a lot more sadistic when he trained me, though."

"But hey, guess it was tough love when you managed to get to learn the 「Spin」, and how to control your Aura at an advanced level," Vegas said with a grin, patting my back.

"..."

"...Right?" Vegas asked. I felt Vegas's hands grip the back of my shirt.

"..."

"... My fucking god, he knew how to do it beforehand." Heat was the one who finally stated the silence. Vegas's hands left the back of my shirt, and instead reached for my collar.

"YOU BASTARD, I THOUGHT THAT SHIT WAS TAUGHT BY YOUR FATHER! JUST HOW MANY TALENTS DO YOU HAVE!? WHO'S DICK DID YOU HAVE TO SUCK TO GET THIS MUCH POWER!? WAS IT BROTHER LIGHT!? WAS IT THE FIRST TREE!? WAS IT THE GREAT SAND IN THE CENTER OF VACUO!? TELL ME!" The revelation seems to have been the straw that broke the camel's back.

Vegas rarely got angry. But when it rains, it pours.

"YOU TELL HIM VEGAS! SHAKE HIM HARDER!" Heat was agitated as well. But then again, he was agitated 14 hours every day.

_**/-/**_

"... So," I continued. "In order to start the advance Aura control like mine, you need to learn how to increase and decrease the amount of Aura on your body."

"... Wait, so it's not just turning it on and off?" Heat asked, both Vegas and him sitting together in front of me and trying to learn the Aura control better. This was the first time for Heat, while Vegas heard and understood the concept when we first met in the entrance test.

He didn't get very far, though.

"Nah, it's not a switch. Don't think of it like that, think of it as a dial."

"...A dial.."

"Yeah, you need to learn how to control your Aura fluidly. It needs to be like your 6th limb."

Heat silently looked to the floor, then up to me.

"... Don't you mean 7th?"

"What? No. It's 6th, you know: 2 arms, 2 legs, head, and Aura.

"No, then it's 7th."

"... I don't get what you mean."

"We already have 6 limbs: 2 arms, 2 legs, a head, and a dick."

Silence invaded the room.

"... Heat," I finally mustered. "A dick isn't a limb."

"...? Of course, it is. A dick is a limb."

"No, a dick is not a limb, Heat."

"Why not? It has blood vessels and nerves, as well as muscles."

"It doesn't have bones, the arms, legs, and head still exist when you're a skeleton. Not your dick."

"But a phrase related to your dick is called boning, so it still has relations to bones."

"That's just a phrase. It doesn't matter since it doesn't have any bones."

"And octopus legs have no bones, but they're still considered limbs of an octopus. In fact, we can still move our dick with our mind, so it's a limb."

"First off, we are not octopi. And second off, our control over our dick is limited. It's not that fluid to be called a limb."

"Guys," Vegas interrupted. "Can't we just search this on the scroll."

"Hell no."

"Don't ask a stupid question, Vegas."

"Wait, why not?"

We both turned to Vegas.

"Listen here, Vegas," Heat said. "This shit is not something you want to be left on your scroll search history."

"Whether it's vulgar or not, having people find out you searched for this question is going make them look at you funny," I added. "Even if they don't say anything about it outright, they're view on you will now have associations with those weird questions. It's not worth it."

"Exactly," Heat agreed. "You don't want this shit stuck on your scroll for all the world to see. It's embarrassing, and it's going to give people the chance to pick on you for it."

"We can only trust ourselves in this argument now."

"Ok, ok. I get it." Vegas relented.

We argued about this topic until 2 am.

We started at 10.

* * *

_**ALRIGHT, PEOPLE, THIS IS THE MOMENT YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR: THE ONE, THE ONLY, THE FINAAAAALS OF THE VALE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT! THIS SHALL DECIDE THIS YEAR'S CHAMPIIIIIIOOOOOOON!**_

_**On the right, we have Vegas Dandelion! Part of the famous 'Casino Crew'! A close friend of our 2-year consecutive champion Magenta Valentine and 2-year semifinalist Heat Corona, he's just as deadly as his friends with his unique applications of coins!**_

_**And on our left, we have our current 2-year consecutive champion of the Vale regional tournament! Our Magenta Magician, riddled with secrets and surprises, his performance makes it clear that he's not gonna go easy on his friend: on the contrary, he looks like he's itching to get an excuse to fight his friend without restraint! Give it up for our Magical Matador, MAGENTAAAAAAA VALENTIIIIINE!**_

"_Magenta! __**CLAP CLAP CALP! **__Magician! __**CLAP CLAP! **__Magenta! __**CLAP CLAP CLAP!**__ Magician! __**CLAP CLAP! **__Magenta! __**CLAP CLAP CLAP! **__Magician!"_

"Jesus Christ, you got your own chanting now."

"I know, I still can't believe they're calling me the Magenta Magician."

"Well…. Let's give them a show they won't forget, shall we?"

"That we shall, my friend."

"_GO! GO! GOLDEN GAMBLER! THE ELDORADO OF THE DANDELION LAS VEGAS!"_

We both faltered out of our stances as we looked to see the other half of the crowd chanting for Vegas.

"... Dude, I have my own chant now…"

"Congrats, now you're called the Golden Gambler."

"... We're both being called something from Vacuoan culture….."

"... Are either of us from Vacuo?"

"Nah fam, I'm from Atlas."

"Oh shit, I'm from Atlas _and_ Mistral."

"... Wait, I knew you were from Mistral cuz of your dad, but you were from Atlas as well?"

"Yeah, my mom's from Atlas."

"... Oh shit, Mrs Valentine? Judging by the way she acts, I thought she was from Vale or Mistral as well."

"I heard that a lot."

_**Looks like the two are striking a conversation like they're on a Boys Night Out! What friendship! Let's see if it still persists once the match starts in…. 3!**_

"Hey," Vegas suddenly started as we both went back our fighting stances. "The announcer reminded me, you wanna go for a Boys Night Out after this?"

_**2!**_

"Yeah, def."

_**1!**_

"Oh," I remarked. "Maybe we should invite Ruby and Yang as well."

"I see what you're trying to do~."

"... You know I actually do have an excuse to hit you now, right?"

_**Fight!**_

_**/-/**_

"Fuck, that hurts!" Vegas remarked, rubbing his jaw. "Did you really have to kick me that hard?"

"Hey, you nearly broke my arm. You can't give me shit for that."

"I didn't know you turned off the Aura on your left arm!"

"Now, now ladies." Yang interrupted. "Now's not the time to fight again, it's time….. To-"

"-HAVE SOME FUN!" Ruby shouted out, jumping in joy.

"They're right, you know." Heat added. "It's time for some celebration, not another argument."

"..." Vegas and I turned to each other, and we both shrugged our shoulders.

"Guess so."

"Agreed."

"Well, then, let's celebrate our finalist and our 3-year Vale regional Champion!" Yang announced.

"But seriously, that entire fight is gonna be famous on the internet now."

"Huh? Really?" Vegas asked.

"Yeah. I mean, normally, a fight goes on about 5 minutes average, and 7 minutes max. Your fight went on for 11 minutes, and I saw everyone stay at the edge of their seat with every move you guys made."

Huh, I did get an additional +300 fame with my +500. Maybe that was why.

_**Pomf!**_

"Oh no, I'm so sorry, sir!"

We all turned our heads to the commotion.

We saw that Ruby, in her excitement, had accidentally walked into another pedestrian on the streets.

The man's black coat (which highly resembled those that priests wore), had been tainted with an orange sludge, an empty plastic cup in his hands suggested that Ruby walked into it and spilled it on him.

Ruby was really panicking, whipping her head around to see if there's anything to wipe the spilt drink off.

The man, pale white skin with dark lips and black circles around his eyes, making it look like his eyes didn't fit in the eye sockets, which only made him more unnerving since he looked like his was only in his 20s, simply smiled and waved his hand. He had a very wide-brimmed hat on, the width was nearly reaching his shoulders.

"It's fine, it's fine, young lady. Accidents happen." He said in a calm, soothing and reassuring voice. He whipped a handkerchief out from his pocket and calmly wiped the stain off his black buttoned-up coat.

"I-I'm really sorry, sir! I don't know how to make it up for you!"

"No need, miss. Just, be careful and be aware of your surroundings this time. Oh! Actually, I just remembered. Do you know where the Stellar Seas Cafe is? I'm new to this place, so I'm not too sure where these shops exactly are."

"Yeah, it's actually close from here," I answered. "It's just around the corner, you just have to go straight from here, cross the road, and turn right."

The man turned his head to me, and the moment his eyes met mine, a shiver went down my spine.

He just stared at me, as if his eyes wore drilling into my very mind.

His expression didn't change, but I could tell that the atmosphere around him was gradually getting heavy.

Then the atmosphere lifted itself when he smiled.

"Thank you, young man. I hope you all have a good day."

"You too, sir."

"_Merci, beaucoup."_

The man took one more look at me before leaving.

"...Mersy bowcoop?" Ruby muttered.

"That's… a phrase I never heard of." Vegas remarked.

"Agreed."

"...Well," Yang concluded. "That was a creepy guy."

"Yang…" Heat deadpanned. "A Rose-Xiao long family already disrespected him by spilling his drink, he doesn't need another one of you to disrespect him behind his back."

"... Yeah, you're right. Sorry."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."

* * *

The shop was bustling, crowded.

"... Finally, there you are, Cioccolata."

"Sorry for being late, Mr Durian. I'm not familiar with this island, so I got lost."

"And how did you get that stain on your coat?"

"A young lady walked into me, and unfortunately crashed into my cup."

"Shit, talk about unfortunate."

"Not that unfortunate, though. It seems that 「Good」 Karma, and 「Bad」 Karma, both decided to accompany me today."

"Oh? How so?"

"I found the youth we were sent to look for, by the 「Boss」."

"... What did he look like?"

"Pink hair, headband, quite fair skin. Oh, and one more defining note."

"Tell me."

_[Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Golden Wind Ost - Tension__]_

"He is indeed a wielder of the _**「**__**Akashic Record**__**」**_. I saw the programmed 「Codes」 through the Vajra-Eye technique you taught me."

"...!"

The man, who's name was Mr Durian, immediately sat up straight from his chair.

"So he is a celestial."

"I'm afraid not right now, Mr Durian. He hasn't unlocked the ability to use 「Vajra」 yet."

"That doesn't matter, so long as one is connected to the 「Akashic Record」, their potential to ascend to Aeonhood will remain intact."

"... So 「Boss」 is right to remain wary of this youth?"

"... Yeah, we've got a reason to actually start being scared now…"

"How so? We have demons and gods on our side. Much _much_ stronger than him too."

"... Listen up, Cioccolata. You're only human right now, so you might not understand this, but I'm only going to tell you this 「once」. He isn't just an 「Akashic Record」 user. He wasn't gifted such program by some half-assed 「god」 like those two shitheaded brothers that are in charge of Remnant. He had his personally gifted by the top god himself."

"... Top… God?"

"_**「**__**Ahura Mazda**__**」**_. That means something."

"... Are… are you allowed to speak of such things out here in the public?"

"... Don't worry about that, Cioccolata. None of the people in this cafe is human. Except you."

"...!"

Cioccolata saw the customers in the little shop freeze. Their small chatters, warm conversations, even the clinking of cups and scraping of forks and knifes stopped.

It was as if they were in a show, and the pause button was pressed.

"... These guys are all 「Yaksas」, probably sent by 「Atavaka」 to try and catch us."

"..!"

Celestials, Nature spirits to be exact.

Under the teaching of Buddha, they were benevolent protectors of the people and the ideals of the religion they follow.

Left alone, and they descended to demonhood like the Rakshasas. Feeding on human flesh and ravaging the mountains that they call their home.

Fierce

Deadly

And surrounding them.

"...What should we do?"

"... Kill them, what else could we do?"

As soon as the words left Mr Durian's mouth, the entire people in the cafe started to change.

Their fleshes distorted and their limbs elongated, the air around them started to bend and twist, before hiding them in the haze they created.

And out appeared humanoid abominations, horns sprouting out of their heads and metal plates growing out of their obsidian body like armour. Blades were drilled and nailed into their arms and hands.

And all of them charged straight into the table of the 2.

And yet Mr Durain simply remained in his seat.

* * *

"Wow, that movie was intense!" Ruby exclaimed as she walked out of the theatre.

"The main baddy was like, sitting on a chair in that steak house restaurant, and all of the people there were huntsman trying to catch him, but when they all jumped at him he was just sitting there, and then _BWAH! HA! HA! WATAH!_" Ruby started to imitate the main antagonist, making karate noises as she whipped her hands around.

"Not to mention the mind-game that guy played, too. It was like watching Magenta's fight on a bigger scale." Added in Vegas.

"I liked the right-hand guy to the antagonist, though," I remarked.

"You mean that psycho? I thought you'd like the main antagonist himself." Yang asked.

"Eh, the righthand man had more emotions." I simply stated, shrugging my shoulders.

I didn't know what was happening in Remnant back then.

And honestly, I don't know whether I should regret being ignorant back then, or miss those peaceful times of ignorant bless.

Because the knowledge started to haunt me the moment I found them.

* * *

[JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Golden Wind OST - Capo]

The entire shop was splattered with black blood. Cyan wisps of light were rising out from the corpses around them.

Mr Durian had a top half of a Yaksa's head in his hand, gripping it by the mouth.

"Wow….. beautiful." That's all Cioccolata could muster at the scene Mr Durian painted.

And he remained in his seat the entire time.

Mr Durian quickly threw the head back into the mass of corpses and pulled out a scroll.

_Torurrururuurruru…_

_Torururururururu…_

_Click!_

…_. Durian, is this you?_

"Yes, 「Boss」. We made progress, but it seems we have a problem."

…_. Speak._

"We managed to find the kid, and you were right. He _did_ have the 「Akashic Record」, just like us."

…_. I see. That is indeed the result I wanted to hear._

"... And…. 「Atavaka」 found us. He knows which world we are hiding in now."

_I presume he sent his fellow __「__Yaksas__」 __to target you, under the orders of __「__Vaisravana__」__._

"... Yes, sir."

…_. No matter, it won't be a problem any longer._

"Does that mean you have succeeded, sir?"

_Yes, I had a very 'pleasant' 'chat' with Madame Salem. She has agreed to our deal, and you two will now be working with her subordinates. I hope you two are ok with that._

"... I trust your decision enough to follow you, sir."

_That is fortunate. Take Cioccolata with you, and go to Vale. I'll send you the address to where you two will meet her subordinate. Her name is 'Cinder Fall', and you will be working with another associate named 'Roman Torchwick'. You will help them in their plans, and we will get what is lurking beneath the city._

"... Sir, apologises for speaking out of line, but what would we do if they become… uncooperative?"

…_.. Whether they agitate you with words or foolishly overconfident display of power, give them the 3 __「__chances__」__. You remember the 3 __「__chances__」__, correct?_

"... First their legs, then their arms, then their head…."

_Good, you do remember it. Killing is inefficient, but an uncooperative load may pose a bigger threat than those that directly oppose us. Show them that simply lounging around is not an option when they work with us. Show them who has the real __「__Power__」__._

"... Won't Madame Salem disagree with this?"

_She doesn't have a choice, just like how she didn't when we made the deal._

"... Understood, sir. Enjoy your evening, 「Boss」."

_I'll pray that your side of the mission goes without a problem, Durian._

"... We got new orders, Cioccolata. We're going to Vale, and we're going to be working with a girl named Cinder. If she starts shrieking at you to threaten and intimidate you, you're free to do as you please."

"... Understood, sir."

The shop then became silent, empty.

* * *

**_Shit, sorry for the late._**

**_Got busy._**

**_Just so you know, like JNPR's figures all being those that crossdressed or RWBY being fairy tales, the whole DMND team will be an allusion to deities and other spirits that are considered malevolent in texts._**

**_First off we have Magenta Valentine, an allusion to Loki. The oh-so-famous cause of Ragnarok and is the god of mischief_**

**_Vegas Dandelion is Clauneck, the demon of wealth._**

**_N and the other D will be revealed when they are introduced._**

**_Heat, on the other hand, is an allusion to Cernunnos, the Celtic wild god._**

**_Next chapter is probably going to be the finale for Signal Arc, and I'll try my best to make it interesting._**

**_Speaking of which, I'd really like to hear what you think about our new characters that were introduced this chapter, along with few new informations!_**

**_Because I feed off of responses and feedback, that's why._**

**_Thank you!_**


	9. Goodbye to everything we knew

_The Branwen tribe is one of the most fierce bandit tribes to have risen on Mistrali ground._

_Only with the exceptions of certain villages like the Rotting Valley, other settlements outside the kingdom have fallen to the bandit tribe._

_Because of their actions, and the result they bring, they are known as the tribe that brings carnage._

_But today._

_The carnage turns on the hands that fed it,_

_In the name of the one that gave birth to it in the first place._

"_AAUAAUAUAAUUGH!"_

_Screams vibrated out into the air of the bandit camp._

"_AAAAAAUGH!"_

_**TAAANG!**_

_Gunshots bombarded the camp, all towards a single spot._

_But the resulting sound was nothing but more screams from the bandit tribe._

"_No no no no no no no no no!"_

_Some of them shouted for help, others begged for mercy_

_None was met._

"Mrs Branwen! We have trouble!"

Vernal shouted to Raven, taking heavy breaths as she rushed into the tent of the chieftain.

"... So I've heard." Raven replied, who was already taking up her weapon to get herself ready.

Raven quickly jumped out of the tent, ready to take her weapon out and slice her adversary. Vernal followed her chief with her weapons in hand.

By the time they arrived at the scene, it was far too late.

Red liquid, glistening in the moonlight, was sprayed all over the tents, the tables, and the floor. Corpses littered the place like pepper, and some even had been dismembered into parts.

The assailant was sitting on a log, the campfire in the centre of the camp was flaring to life behind his back. Cradling something in their arms

Raven saw some corpses placed inside the fire, as if they were makeshift fuels to make the campfire burn brighter.

The light from the fire caused the assailant's face to be hidden in the darkness of the night.

All she saw were eyes shining like a 2 beacon, and a smile showing marble white teeth that glowed like the moon.

She realized once the fire started to creep under the figure, that the assailant was cradling a severed head.

It was August, Vernal's older sister. Her eyes were wide and her lips were slightly ajar. A small stream of blood was looking out at the corner of the decapitated head's mouth

Vernal looked horrified once she saw her sister's head in the arms of her killer, and that soon twisted into anger. She nearly rushed into the murderer blind, but Raven managed to stick her arm out towards her, stopping her from getting killed like a sick dog.

Raven looked at the assailant cautiously.

"... Who are you?"

"Hey, hey~, my name is Caramella~. Nice to meet you~."

It was a soothing male voice. Smooth, like silk. A bit sweet, like candy. The voice sounded like it was purposely strained an octave.

But that all the more unsettled Raven.

She thought that she even heard a bit of static noise mixing in with his words, but she didn't have to focus on that.

"... What are you here for? What do you want."

"Hey, hey~, I'm looking for somebody."

Raven felt dread creep up her spine. The longer she was looking at this figure, who was starting to look less human, the more it unnerved her. But she kept up her facade as a strong and cold chieftain.

She knew that if the figure saw her weakness, this whole situation will become unfavourable to her.

Raven smirked.

"Oh, really? And you thought the best way to do that was slaughter your way in, instead of simply talking? Very smart, there's no way you murdered the one you were looking for during all this slaughter."

"Hey, hey~, talking wouldn't have accomplished anything, they would've refused to talk. Besides, I'm 100% sure that I didn't kill who I was looking for."

"Oh, why is that? Why wouldn't talking solve this situation in a more favourable manner, for both of us? Why are you so sure that you didn't kill the person you were looking for?"

"Hey, hey~, because I'm looking for the Spring Maiden."

Raven's smirk faltered as it was replaced with a shock.

How did he know that there was a Spring Maiden here?

Who sent him?

…

Was…

Was it Salem?

Raven realised then and there that whoever this person was, he was more formidable and dangerous than she originally thought.

She subconsciously gripped her Katana tighter.

"Hey, hey~, which one of you is the Spring Maiden?" The figure asked.

He was here for the Spring Maiden, but he didn't know which one of the two it was.

….

The question seemed off.

He stated himself that he was sure that her family he slaughtered was not the Spring Maiden.

But here he was, asking which of us was the Spring Maiden.

Either his way of finding the Spring Maiden was inaccurate to some degree, probably because Raven was this close to Vernal, making it difficult for this…. Man to pinpoint the true Maiden.

Or somewhere in his words, he was lying.

When Raven was trying to figure out what was the truth, it was Vernal that answered.

"I-I'm the spring maiden!"

Raven saw Vernal's fists trembling at her sides.

She was angry.

But at the same time, she was scared.

"Well, come on! What do you want with me!?"

Vernal shouted, her loud and wrathful voice trying their best to hide her fear.

The figure brought his bloody left fingers to his chin, tapping his chin in thought. The severed head of Autumn was no standing upright on his lap, blood from the neck trailing down his leg and dripping into the soil.

"Hmmmmmmm….. Hmmmmmm~"

Raven saw that the figure had his attention on Vernal, and that this was her chance.

A plan was forming in her head.

One blow.

One well-placed blow,

And this... 'Caramella', as he calls himself, can fall.

She slowly channelled the power of the Spring Maiden within her, trying not to alert the man sitting in front of the campfire.

She felt it build within her, heat rising.

She slowly started to pour the Spring Maiden power into her blade, getting ready to pull it out and slice the assailant in one fluid motion.

She needed to be quick, before he noticed.

"Hey, hey~,"

And Raven considered that it was now or never.

"_You shouldn't be lying to me like that."_

The figure immediately whipped his head around to Raven. His eyes were shining brighter now, it was actually emitting rays of light. And the moment his gaze landed on her, Raven could feel her powers drain out of her.

And not because she flinched, or faltered.

No,

It felt like it was forcefully pulled out of her hands, forcefully removed from her blade.

And the gaze caused her to freeze on the spot.

She couldn't find the strength to draw the blade out of its sheath.

Vernal looked just as shocked as Raven. She was now taking short glances to the bandit chief.

"Hey, hey~," He kept his gaze at Raven.

"Why are you such a coward?"

Raven realized then and there.

The man knew from the start who exactly was the Spring Maiden.

His question back then wasn't his attempt to discern who the Spring Maiden was,

It was to give Raven a chance to tell him the truth.

This bastard was just toying with them.

"Hey, hey~, I asked you a question. Why are you such a coward?"

Raven simply glared at the figure sitting on the log, right into his shining eyes.

She saw Caramella's smile widen instead.

And god,

The numbers of teeth he was showing was double that of an ordinary human's.

"Hey, hey~, you're really a coward, right? That's why you hide behind her, right~?"

"... Who are you to call me a coward!? I'm not the one that ambushed this camp."

Raven forced those words to growl out of her mouth. It was then and there that she decided to resort to her final trump card.

Her Wyrm Raven, the special mantra beast that she managed to gain the favour of by displaying her Spring Maiden powers to it.

Even if it couldn't beat this man alone, it would make enough distractions to either fight him,

Or run.

It would've been residing in the forest. She didn't gain its full favour, it wasn't a proper contract. If it was, she could've called it out in an instant. Alas, she didn't have the right tools, and thus it wasn't at her full command, and one of the deal was that it stayed in its domain, and so it would take some time before it arrived.

But by the looks of it, she had enough time to call it here.

While Raven waited, silently using her link to call the Caramella simply opened his mouth. And in between the teeth, she saw nothing but the abyss.

"Hey, hey~, stop being a hypocrite. You're a bandit, right? You ambush people all the time, right? You even stabbed that little girl in the back, right~?"

Raven's eyes widened when the figure told her about the murder.

No one but her and Vernal knew about it.

"...H-how d-"

"Hey, hey~, You also left your daughter and your husband the moment she was born, right~? How did that feel, hmmm~? Hey, hey~, c'mon, tell me, tell me!"

He knew about Yang and Tai, too.

"Hey, hey~, so their names are Yang and Tai, right~? Did leaving them feel just like killing poor little May, hmm~?"

W-who was he? How did he know the previous Spring Maiden? How did he know her name?

She was confident that not even Salem knew who the previous Spring Maiden's name was.

Hell, she didn't even know that it was an 8-year-old girl.

"Hey, hey~, so it felt horrifying, right~? Especially when she was crouching on the dirt ground in your tent, crying and sobbing, you saw her tiny little back, with that orange dress and black dress shoes, right~? She thought of you as a mother, right~? Her golden hair reminder you of your little Yang, right~? And you held up your dagger, right~? Oh, Oh! Oh~! You closed your eyes as you plunged it in! You could feel her shake and squirm in your arm but you didn't let go and you could even her hear gurgle with blood and tears coming out but you didn't stop and you just stabbed and stabbed and stabbed and st-"

"-STOP!" The figure's rant was interrupted by the outburst from Raven. Sweat was already dripping down her face, and she was taking deep breaths to try and calm herself.

Raven was just looking at the ground now.

Her anger paled in comparison to the fear she was feeling.

Fear, and guilt.

And pain.

"... I….. did what I had to do…. She…" She tried to justify her actions. It wasn't for Caramella to hear, it was for herself. She was trying to lie to herself again, that it was necessary.

But Caramella didn't take half-assed bullshits for an excuse.

"Hey, hey~, she was weak. Too young, never learned. She just sat there and did nothing but cry, a dead weight, right~? She was gonna get targetted, so you gave her mercy, right~?"

"...!"

It was certain now, this man could read minds. That had to be the answer.

And Raven hoped to god that she was right, that he could read minds.

Because the alternative was much scarier for her.

"Hey, hey~,"

He was dangerous, on more levels than she originally thought.

"I never knew that plunging a knife in an 8-year-old girl's lung 7 times was mercy. Is it~?"

"...!"

"Hey, hey~, are you a messiah? What right do you have to give such mercy~? You're just a bandit coward that ran from her husband, her daughter, and her friend, right~? And that friend died because you weren't there to help her, right~?"

"...I-I.."

She wanted to get away from this man now. As quickly as possible.

She couldn't take it any longer, she couldn't tolerate this figure.

The more she interacted with him, the more she felt like he wasn't human.

No, maybe she was _realizing_ that Caramella wasn't human.

She honest to god hoped that the Wyrm Raven would come any moment now.

"Hey, hey~, you're really regretting that, right~? Leaving her to die against Salem. Leaving your husband to deal with the loss and 2 kids by himself. Is that why you decided to extend an olive branch to warn Qrow and Vienna and Lily to try and save your daughter?"

This…. this thing was prodding in her mind and was gripping onto every crack he can find, trying to tear it open.

And she felt him work with extreme precision, like he did this several times before.

"Hey, hey~, what happened to the strong Raven? The one that was in Team STRQ? The one that had her own goals and beliefs? Who fought for her what she believed in~? Who didn't regret her decision because she actually believed it was righ~t? Who didn't need to lie to others and herself for each and every decision she made~? Why is this one in front of me a coward that will do anything to get away from Salem~? Why would this one turn tail the moment she feels threatened? Hey, hey~, why does she want to run away right now?"

"..."

Raven's fear of this man was growing the more he talked. Her fear only grew more when she saw that the Wyrm Raven was still nowhere in sight.

"Hey, hey~, does she really think the survival of the fittest as some kind of stupid 'the strong live and the weak dies' thing~? No? Oh, she just spouts that to justify herself! She doesn't really believe it! Oooh~, that makes sense! She's too smart to believe some hodgepodge like that!"

Raven started to realize that this monstrosity was talking to himself now.

No,

It was as if he was talking to someone else.

Who was he?

What was he?

"Hey, hey~, Raven."

Raven's thoughts were broken as Caramella called out to her.

"Do you really want to be strong?"

"..." Raven remained silent. Her eyes narrowed at the man. The sudden offer was suspicious, and it sounded less desirable coming from him.

"Hey, hey~, I'll make you strong~. I'll just get Yang, and I'll start to dismember her in front of you!"

"...! You wouldn't dare!"

His statement caused her to flare in fear and anger. She whipped out her blade from its sheath and pointed it at the man on the campfire, trying her best to threaten him.

Vernal, seeing the bandit chieftain act, followed after her and whipped out her weapon to aim at Caramella as well.

"Hey, hey~, she lives in Patch right now, right~? She's starting to turn 17, right~? I'll bring her here, and I'll start with her toes and work my way up! Seeing that will make you strong, just like you wanted! You'll gain some reason to get stronger again! You won't run away anymore~!"

Caramella outstretched his arms out towards Raven, and the light from the fire behind Caramella made this action one of the most threatening things Raven has ever seen since she learned of Salem.

The threat made itself clear, and she knew that Caramella was capable of going through with it, regardless of Raven's interference. His eyes, beaming with light and showering rays that restrained itself from burning Raven's eyes, showed her that this wasn't the first time he said this, and it wasn't the first time he was going to carry through his words.

"Don't you dare think that you can do as you please!"

She tried her best to look intimidating. But she knew that she had shown him just how weak and vulnerable she was right now. It was what Caramella wanted. She was played into Caramella's hand and all she could do was try and sound intimidating.

She was aware just how much she was failing in her attempt.

Caramella's smile didn't even falter an inch, even with the flair of emotions coming from Raven.

"Hey, hey~, if you don't want me to do it, that's all you had to say."

Raven's sword stayed pointing at Caramella.

But if she knew what he was going to do, she would've dropped it and ran instead.

"Hey, hey~, I need to go now, so I got one last question~. You have two choices, both of you~. Listen to them, and I'll give you 5 seconds to choose."

That's all Caramella said, and he dropped his smile. The mouth was still open, and it formed some kind of snarl his teeth still left bare.

And she felt it.

She physically felt it.

The atmosphere that was already heavy before was now absolutely crushing her.

She wasn't the only one, as thousands of birds were now fluttering out from the woods around the camp.

Even the Nevermores that resided deeper in the forest started to fly away, away from the camp as possible.

Bloodlust,

At an insurmountable amount.

And she was taking it in full brunt, right into her heart.

Right into her soul.

And all she could see at first in the night sky was his eyes.

The light that radiated from his eyes, covered even the flames behind him.

They were emitted from his eyes in the shape of a cross.

The adrenaline rushing into her body help her see the tiny black spot in the middle of this light emanating circles.

Her mind emptied itself as she found out that _those_ were his pupils.

She was too focused on his eyes to realize what was behind Caramella, standing over the campfire.

And she regretted her choices of trying to confront this monster instead of running away.

It had a body of a teddy bear. It had a body of a fucking stuffed toy.

And the huge tear on the stomach, that bisected the torso so that everyone could see it's filling, made it clear that whatever was used as the stuffing wasn't cotton.

It was corpses, and bloodied hands were sticking out from the tear. The bloodied heads and arms and legs were glistening over the fire.

The tips of its round digitless limbs all had 5 big hexagonal nails sticking out like makeshift hands

And its head.

My god, its fucking head.

The neck had blood staining it in a ring.

And the head of the fucking teddy bear had been ripped off, hanging near the left shoulder by a single fucking thread.

The toy head was clean, no bloodstain in sight.

It was what was used as the new head that made her stomach crawl.

3 spines were emerging from the neck of the stuffed toy that towered over them all.

And at the ends of the 3 spins were human heads.

The one on the left was that of an old hag, the forehead hammered in to the point that her eyeballs were threatening to pop out of her goddamn sockets.

The one in the middle was that of a woman in her mid-20s, the top of her head caved in.

The one on the right.

Oh god.

Oh my fucking god.

Raven couldn't stomach it.

It was fucking May's.

It was the head of the previous spring maiden

The little girl that she stabbed to death for her powers. There were still tears and blood dried on her face. Her eyes were fucking half-closed, her eyes unfocused.

And all of them had their jaws dislodged, and sirens were forced into them.

Or possibly out.

She didn't fucking know, she couldn't tell and she honest to fucking god didn't want to find out.

She honestly didn't want to see it anymore, but conjuncture of the stare from the kid and the monster prevented her head from turning away.

And then she noticed it.

The fucking abomination had something in its right hand.

A wooden post that formed a cross.

She realized why the Wyrm Raven didn't come when she called to it.

It was too busy getting fucking nailed to the fucking wooden cross like some crude sick idol of a pagan religion.

Its wings were nailed to either end of the cross, and 3 more nails stapled the tail, which was curling around the wooden pillar.

Its beak was open and there was a nail going through its open mouth, securing it to the top of the cross.

That's when Caramella spoke, and his voice was nothing like that fucking soothing voice she heard him speak in.

It was fucking hoarse and the texture and tone sounded nothing like what a human vocal cord could make. She shit you not heard the static noise fill his voice.

It was like a fucking Great-war era radio that her tribe used.

_**Do you want to die now, or do you want to die later?**_

The 3 head just looked at her in the eyes and she would do anything to get their fucking gaze away from her.

The fucking monster slowly walked around Caramella and planted the wooden cross in front of her, the fucking Wyrm Wyvern nailed onto it was placed to display its full sick state to Raven.

She couldn't even move a muscle. All she could do was look around.

Raven saw Vernal drop her weapon and simply drop to her knees. Her eyes were wide with fear.

They couldn't even cry,

Raven knew that this would be haunting her for as long as she lived.

It was the first time to feel such fear.

The fear of having someone choose whether you lived or died.

The fear of your fate in the hands of some sadistic fuck who installed 3 spines in a fucking giant teddy bear and jam sirens into their fucking mouth.

Forget fighting

She didn't know if she could run and live.

_**Hey, I told you to choose. Come on, 5 seconds are up. Choose.**_

She wanted to scream out that she wanted to die later.

The back of her mind was screaming out that the option was a trap, that it was going to be much worse.

But she didn't care,

She wanted to live right now.

But no words would leave her mouth.

She was choking.

_**You don't want to choose? Then I'll choose it for you.**_

She felt a jolt of pain, and then something cold and sharp digging into her hand, parting the flesh and muscles, forcing her to flinch and open her palm. Her sword was going to fall out of her hand.

But it didn't.

Her blade was stuck on her hand.

Then she felt something cold trickle down her hand.

She looked down to see her hand impaled by a fucking nail, long enough to go through the grip of her sword as well.

H-how d-

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt something sharp and cold slowly dig into her other hand.

It was at a much slower pace than the first one.

"_HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUH!"_

She could do nothing but scream.

2 more started to dig into the back of her calves. She felt to the floor.

2 more dug underneath her knees, wedging itself between the top of the tibia and the bottom of the kneecap.

It felt like hell, and it was enough for her to try and use her semblance.

But the addition of more nails in her elbows and shoulders stopped her from swinging her sword.

She was now lying on the ground.

Small puddles of blood were starting to pool in certain parts of her body.

She was at the mercy of this demon with shining lights for eyes.

And all she could do was stare at the monster.

May's face started to inch closer to Raven's, her unfocused eyes were just like back then, when she stabbed May to death for her powers.

This was hell.

This was her personal fucking hell and this was specially made for her.

And she was going to be broken like some kind of fucking doll before she got put down like a sick dog.

And she could do nothing but stare at Caramella and his fucking eyes and teeth.

And then she started to feel the cold and sharp prick on the back of her neck

And she felt that tip start to force through the flesh and muscles of her neck.

It felt the slowest out of all of what she felt.

It was excruciating, and she couldn't even budge as it was going into her neck, closing the distance between the metal tip and her spine.

She felt tears pooling at the corner of her eyes. This was a fucking nightmare.

Please...

God….

…

…

…..

_To~rrururururuururruru!_

Then she heard it.

_To~rururururururururu!_

It was so jarring from the moment that she thought it was just a hallucination resulting from her fear-addled brain.

_To~rururururururururu!_

_To~rururururururu!_

_Click!_

"Oh! Hey, hey~, 「Boss」!"

Her heightened sense caused her to hear every single word Caramella started to say, and every single word that came out of that phone.

_Caramella, there's a new __「__Order__」 __for you._

"Hey, hey~, a new mission, 「Boss」? I haven't even taken care of the Spring Maiden yet!"

_That can wait, this is urgent._

"Alright, if you say so, 「Boss」. Oh, hey, hey~, mind if you can tell me what's so urgent?"

_The Yaksas found Cioccolata and Durian. Now __「__Atakavaka__」__, and by connection, __「__Vaisravana__」 __knows where those two are._

"... Hey, hey~, that's pretty bad news, 「Boss」..."

_That is why I need you to do this quickly. I need you to go to Vacuo and help Coffin and Feelgood in getting the __「__Target__」 __from the desert. __「__Atavaka__」 __will be coming to Remnant soon, I need the mission of Vacuo to finish as soon as possible. They are the most __「__exposed__」__right now, they'll be discovered quickly by __「__Atavaka__」__. Hold him off, they may, but their __「__Strength__」__are our __「__Weakness__」__. They must finish their __「__Mission__」__and withdraw before __「__Atavaka__」 __arrives, or else more will come. Once that is done, call me and I will give you a new order. Until then, I need you to focus on going to Vacuo and help Coffin and Feelgood finish the__「__Mission__」__._

"... I understand, 「Boss」."

_Good, then I suggest you start leaving now._

"On it, 「Boss」. See you later."

_Beep!_

That was all Raven could hear, and then everything became out of focus. Raven didn't know when, but she realized that Caramella disappeared into thin air. It was like she was hallucinating the entire thing, like she was dreaming.

But the campfire revealing her dead bandit tribe members strewn across the camp, the Wyrm Raven's defiled corpse on a cross, and her own wounds that were plugged with nails were enough evidence that it wasn't from her head.

She nearly died, like a petty bug that got its legs ripped out one by one by a curious 5-year-old kid.

Her life was in that man's palm, and he was just twirling it around his fingers.

And he was going to squeeze the life out of her just then.

But that fucking phone call was the only reason why he didn't kill her yet.

It was a fucking phone call, of all fucking reason.

Not her men,

Not her own powers or wits,

Not the Wyrm Raven, which was crucified in a crude parody of a messiah in front of her,

A fucking phone call that made him go after a bigger priority.

It was his own fucking choice to leave.

This was ridiculous.

So ridiculous and straight from the left field that it was almost hilarious.

She could've laughed at the whole situation.

But all that came out of her were tears, snot, sweat and blood.

She curled into a ball, forehead touching the ground.

And she cried until she fainted from exhaustion and blood loss.

_**Chapter 9: Goodbye to everything we knew.**_

* * *

_**BAAAAAAAAKIII!**_

"AAUUUUUGH!"

_**AN AMAZING VACUOAN KICK FROM MAGENTA! HIS FOOT SMASHES RIGHT INTO DIAMANTE CORVUS'S NECK! DIAMANTE GOES DOWN LIKE A RAGDOLL FROM THE HIT!**_

The feminine voice, full of energy, was booming in the arena. The crowd that encircled the arena was cheering to their full volume. The straight black-haired youth was struggling to get up. As much as I wanted to stop here, he looked like he would rather go out fighting than forfeit.

He's Aura was still in the yellow too.

I sighed as I brought my left leg high up, nearly touching my head, and I brought the foot down into an axe kick.

It landed squarely on his back and drove him further into the marble floor.

_**DOKAAAAAAN!**_

_**BAAAAKAAAANG!**_

"_AAAAAAAUUUUURRRGH!"_

A small crater formed under the poor youth, and the pearl white concrete floor darkened due to the cracks appearing to disrupt the clean harmony.

_**CLEAN HIT, AND DOOOWN! DIAMANTE'S AURA IS NOW IN THE REDS, THE WINNER OF THIS SEMIFINALS IS OUR 3-YEAR VALE REGIONAL CHAMPION: MAAAAAAAGEEEENTAAAAAAA VAAAAAALEEEEEEENTIIIIIINE!**_

Screams energised with excitement and rampant cheers resounded throughout the colosseum. I turned to the audiences and bowed.

I realised upon straightening back up that most of the people here were wearing headbands that looked identical to mine, down to even the feather accessories tide on the sides. Most of them were ranging from kids to teens just a few years younger than me, but there were people around my age and adults that decided to be exceptions as well.

Some had pink face paints on, while others decided to draw my emblem on some part of their face: an eye in the middle with a right open palm placed on top of the eye, and the left open palm placed on the bottom.

Wow, never actually thought I'd get this famous.

I bowed to the fallen figure of Diamante, as I started to walk out of the arena.

That's when my Akashic Record Lite caught my attention.

_**Help**_

_**Settings**_

_**Stats**_

_**Inventory**_

_**Mantra**_

_**Equipment**_

_**Goals**_

_**Compendium**_

_**Message (1)**_

In my 17 years of living, this was the first time seeing the message work.

Personal notifications and reminders always popped up in the 'Goals'.

So that meant it was an actual message sent by someone.

I stopped walking midway through the corridor and quickly looked around, making sure no one was near me.

Once I knew I was in the clear, I focused on the 'Message' tab.

A new tab opened up in front of me, it was cyan and translucent like the rest of my tab, although this looked like a really simplified g-mail window, or one of those messaging windows in MMORPGs, I guess.

Only the top tab was filled with a title.

_**It's been a while.**_

That's all the title said.

I instantly knew that this was from Mr Abel.

He never made contact with me after I reincarnated in this world. And I understood why.

He was a top god, he wasn't supposed to interfere in a human's life like that.

And that made the message more surprising to see.

And to be quite honest, nervous.

Did I do something wrong?

Did I mess up and accidentally make a mistake with my Akashic Record Lite?

Hesitation born from worry and excitement washed over me, but I decided to open the message either way.

An emerald screen opened up over the cyan tab.

_**It's been a while, hasn't it?  
While we haven't even talked to each other in 17 years, I'm sure you still remember me, right?  
In case you don't remember who this is, I'll jog your memory by telling you that it's Abel. The one that put you in Remnant after you died and gave you the simplified version of the God-maker program.**_

_**But enough chit-chat, I need you to listen.  
Normally, I wouldn't be here even talking to you again. In fact, you wouldn't have even heard of me for the rest of your life in Remnant.  
But unfortunately, this is urgent, and your life is at stake now.  
Not just you, either. Your friends are in the same boat as you are.**_

_**Now, you might be asking: "There's Grimms littering this world like pepper, we're always in danger, so why would the top god Ahura Mazda suddenly warn us?"**_

_**You're right, I wouldn't have warned you if it was any other situation.**_

_**But this isn't a situation that should've never occurred in Remnant, just like the destruction of your previous world.**_

_**I'll clarify, in case you're still confused. I hope that you're reading this while you still have time.  
Remember how I told you about celestial beings? You know, Angels? Demons? Yaksas and Spirits? Gods?**_

_**I don't want to alarm you, and I shit you not, stay calm with this, please.**_

_**Some of the celestial beings have decided to start a coup d'etat.**_

_**It's celestial beings that think that they should do whatever they want to the worlds we manage, to profit from the worlds to the full.**_

_**They don't like the fact that they have to adapt and revolve around humans and their creations.**_

_**In short, they don't like the system that I created, maintained, and enforced on the rest of the celestial beings.**_

_**They're the ones that were recorded in human society as malevolent gods, or even vilified as devils.**_

_**To be quite honest, they started to rise way way way, way back.**_

_**But we managed to suppress them.**_

_**You'll actually know some of them, they became quite famous in mythologies and religions.**_

_**Like Helel's fall from grace.**_

_**Or Set killing his brother Osiris for the throne.**_

_**The problem rose back up recently, though. We don't know why, but I got a hunch that something, or someone, decided to act as a catalyst for this shit to start again.**_

_**And the shit hit the fan real bad.**_

_**There were breakouts from Naraku and Pandemonium, not to mention Tartarus.**_

_**And gods and demons that were quiet either started getting rowdy again, or just straight up disappeared.**_

_**Some started to sneak into worlds and dig their roots in them like parasites.**_

_**Atavaka, the Yaksa that works for Vaisravana, was in charge of combing through the worlds to find these shitty little celestials before they could do some real damage.**_

_**The good news is that we managed to find a few, and we're starting to go and neutralise them.**_

_**The bad news? Some of them are in the world you live in right now.**_

_**We'll try our best, but we can't guarantee that we can protect you from them.**_

_**They had enough strength to hide for this long, and we just managed to pinpoint their location.**_

_**By the time we arrive to deal with the ones in your world, you might be already dead.**_

_**What you need to keep in mind is that they were in Patch, and I'm 100% sure that they either managed to find out that you had the Akashic Record Lite,**_

_**Or they already knew that you had the Akashic Record Lite from the start.**_

_**Either way, it's not looking peachy for you.**_

_**And by that, I mean that I'm 80% sure that they'll target you, sooner or later.**_

_**You're gonna need to keep your head on your shoulders before it starts rolling on the floor.**_

_**You'll probably see me in person soon, too. I need to deal with something here myself, you see.**_

_**That just means that your world is shittier to live in than the one in the show.**_

_**If we do meet, I'll try my best to inform you of the situation properly and keep you up to date.**_

_**But for the love of fucking Zurvan and Vohu Manah, please stay clear from fucking trouble, as much as you can.**_

_**Apologies for dragging you into something like this. As much of this is our fault, I'll try my best to arrive at your world ASAP.**_

_**-Abel**_

I felt like I got hit by a truck when I was running a marathon.

I stood in the hallway, stunned silent.

No sound resonated in the corridor and all I saw blankly in my unfocused eyes were the sky blue walls and white floor.

The emptiness of the hall matched just like my mind.

I knew what he meant, I understood it perfectly.

But that was precisely why my mind was disoriented.

_Gods_

_Demons_

_Danger_

_Coup d'etat_

_Hiding_

_Danger_

_Parasite_

_Danger_

_War_

_Danger_

_Full Akashic Record users_

_Danger_

_They found me_

My heart was starting to beat quicker and quicker as I started to sweat.

Was it back then? That man in the black coat?

Are they here? In this arena?

Were they watching me fight?

Are they waiting for their chance to kill me?

What was going to happen when I walk out to the spectator's seat?

What about my friends?

They knew who my friends were.

They knew what they looked like.

They'd target them because of me.

Vegas

Heat

Yang

Ruby

They were going to get fucking hurt or killed because of the fucking demons and gods knowing that I had the Akashic Record Lite.

Goddamn it,

God fucking damn it,

I shouldn't have been flaunting my strength like this.

Now the whole world knows who I am and it's going to be a fucking trip for a sundae for the demons and gods that want me dead.

I should've just lived a quiet fucking life.

My left hand reached up to cover my mouth, as I quietly leaned against the right wall.

"...Magenta?" I heard Ruby's voice behind me.

I slowly turned to see the 15-year-old girl with a black dress and red accent looking at me. Concern was written all over her face.

"Are… Are you ok? Your face's pale as sheets. D-did something happen? Do you need help? Do-do you have to cancel the match? Magenta?" The concern in her voice grew as she started to walk up to me. I could hear her boots hit frantically at the ground, echoing into the hallway, as she quickened her pace to reach me.

She reached her hands shakily towards me, placing one on my shoulder and the other on my back.

"...If you… If you need help…. I'm here for you. I…. I-I may not be that much help, but I still want to try and help you as much as I can….. You were always there for us when we needed it…. For me, for Yang….. I want to do at least that much for you."

….

You know, with the lights coming from the ceiling, enveloping Ruby's silhouette like this,

She looked like a goddamn angel.

And with the reason why I'm like this, this was some fucking ironic symbolism.

I smiled at her.

"... Thanks, Ruby."

"... You gonna be ok?"

"... Yeah, I think I will be."

Ruby looked like she wanted to ask more, try to find out why I was in such a state.

But I guess she decided now wasn't the time.

I pushed myself off the wall.

"... You need a hug?"

"... I might. I don't know."

Ruby dashed into me, trying to wrap her arms around my shoulder and just squeezing me in an embrace.

"I'll take that as a yes." She stated.

Laughter escaped my lips as I just patted her back.

"... Thanks."

"No problem!"

"Hey, Magenta, you ok? What's taking you so-" I heard Heat's voice ring out in the corner, and saw our embrace right before Ruby broke out of it. Heat's voice faltered

"... Hey." I managed to say to Heat.

"H-Heat! Hehe, n-nothing embarrassing going over here! Just us talking!"

"Ruby. You're not helping."

"Shut up, I'm panicking!" She hissed out in a small whisper. "Why aren't you panicking! He saw us hugging!"

"... I think I just accepted what was going to happen, since I've been with them so often."

"... YAAAANG! "Heat started to dash away at the drop of a hat.

"YAAAAAAAAANG!" His deafening roar echoed throughout the corridor.

"EEEP! STOP!" Ruby shouted back desperately, as she started to use her semblance to try and catch up with Heat.

I stood there, alone again.

I couldn't help but laugh at the whole situation.

Would I still be able to feel this? Hanging out the main characters of RWBY? Follow through their story? Meet Weiss and Blake, and Jaune and Nora and Ren and Pyrrha?

Still hang out and talk with Vegas and Heat? Laugh like idiots at stupid shit like a dick being a 6th limb?

Fight Cinder and Salem and Watts and Hazel and Tyrian?

With them?

Will I still be able to go through their story, be a big part of it, rather than someone in the background?

….

… Will I be able to save Penny? Save Pyrrha?

…. Will I be able to influence this world?

…. How long did I have to enjoy all this before I got put down like a dog?

How long till the gods above decided that I was an outlier to this whole world, and in their path for power and a new world shaped in their image, get rid of the shit stain they call me?

….

….

"...Haaaa…"

My breath came out shaky.

From now on, wherever I was, this was going to be at the back of my head.

….

….

"FUCK!"

…

…..

….

I'm scared.

Scared shitless to all hell and back.

I was going to fucking die because God gave me a gift.

And I don't know when they'll come to rip it out of me, along with my fucking soul.

"...Fuck my life."

…..

I decided to just take care of what's in front of me, and steer clear from the trouble they'll be causing.

If a momumental fuckton of Horror and destruction of that scale could even be called trouble.

God fucking damn hell, their standard for trouble was on a whole different scale than ours.

_**/-/**_

"Y-Yang! It wasn't like that! He looked like he didn't feel well, so I just wanted to comfort him!"

"Aw~ I understand what you mean, Ruby. If the guy I had a crush on looked that vulnerable, I wouldn't hesitate to do more than that~. You're still innocent and pure, I get it. You were just happy with giving him a hug~."

"YANG!"

"I told you Yang, I told you."

"And you were right, Heat. I thought it would just be puppy love, but I really guess her heart was still strong for our Pink Wizard."

"YAAANG!"

The crowd surrounding them was too busy cheering for Vegas to pay any attention to them.

But even from 10 metres away from them, I could still hear their conversation.

My walk to my friends was slower because of the people noticing me, and wanting autographs.

I managed.

By the time I arrived, Ruby was crouching down on the floor, her hands on her face as she was groaning at Heat and Yang.

Through the peaks of her hands I could see her cheeks flushed bright red.

"And look who finally arrives! It's the centre of our talk!" Yang shouted cheerfully.

She walked up to me to poke me in the chest.

"Now, I knew you long enough to know you're not that type of guy, but I'm just going to say it anyway: You do anything to make my sister cry, you _will_ have to answer to me and my fists. You understand?"

"... I'm 100% confident that I won't make your sister cry as much as you will."

"Good."

"I mean fucking look at her, she's a fucking wreck thanks to you guys."

Heat and Yang both chuckled.

"So I guess it's official then." Heat stated.

"Oh~, what's official?" Yang asked playfully.

"It's. Not." I answered flatly.

They both ignored me.

"That Magenta Valentine, 3 year Vale regional Champion, Possibly 4, is going to be your brother-in-law!"

"Aaaww, I always thought of him as our family, but I never thought he'd go and make it official."

"I'm. Not."

"Magenta, don't be like that," Heat said with a sigh. "You're breaking poor Ruby's heart."

"I'm pretty sure it was shattered the moment you ran out of the corridor."

Heat shrugged.

"Sometimes, you just have to rip the band-aid right off."

Yang nodded confidently at Heat's word.

I sighed at the two of them, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"... How long are you going to tease me and Ruby with this?"

They answered with a cheeky grin.

They were never going to live this down.

* * *

The castle was empty as ever. Hollow. Cold.

Nothing but red and purple light from the sky was coming into the tall and decrepit monument.

In the snaking and connecting hallways, one room held the attention of the world.

Stone decorations were faintly glowing purple in the conference room. The giant window was using the red light as it's ink to paint the room with a red tint.

Two people were sitting at the table. One sat on a throne, placed on the front of the table.

The other day on one of the simpler chairs, leaning in with their hands placed together on his stomach.

One was a woman we all knew.

With her pale skin lined with black veins, her eyes were scarlet red, and focusing on the other person.

It was Salem, the so called Queen of Grimm.

The one sitting on the chair was nothing more than a black mass, shaped to resemble a silhouette of a man in a slender figure.

No hair, no muscles.

Just a bare silhouette, like a shadow of a man.

The only thing that Salem could see were two pairs of eyes, the pupil and the iris merging into one big black dot that spotted the white almond opening.

They remained silent as they looked at each other.

They were waiting for someone.

And their patience was rewarded when a woman in a scarlet dress walked into the room. The doors creaking to notify her presence.

Salem broke her gaze to turn to the woman.

The woman stood in front of the door, and bowed.

"I am here as you asked, ma'am."

"And you didn't disappoint. Come, sit." Salem replied, motioning to the chair opposite to her….

Guest.

Cinder complied, walking to her seat before recoiling in shock when she noticed the silhouette opposite to her.

"You may be wondering why I called you here so urgently." Salem asked.

Cinder kept her eyes on the unknown figure, before nodding her head.

Salem motioned a hands towards the mass on the chair.

"This man is….." Salem didn't finish her sentence, waiting for the man himself to answer it.

"Sera."

The voice was atrocious.

It was like a synthesis of sounds trying to imitate a human voice.

Sounds from objects trying to mix and mash, cut and filled, to sound natural.

And not even attempting to succeed in its duties.

The disgust was visible on Cinder's face, grimacing the moment the figure spoke.

"As the man said, this is Sera. He is our new…. Benefactor to our cause. A cooperator."

Cinder simply nodded

"During our time working together, you will be giving him the same respect you give me. He was under no obligation to cooperate with us, yet he has decided to show generosity to our goals. He will be a great help, and thus I want you to treat him with utmost respect. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am." Cinder answered.

"Good. Now that the introductions and explanations are out of the way: Cinder, because of the addition of new help, I would like to inform you that your plan will be assisted by 2 men from…. Sera's side."

"They are already on their way to Vale. I have sent them the location of your current base of operation." The disgusting voice added. Cinder was grimacing again, and wanted to say something.

But his staring eyes, those repulsive and unnerving eyes, stopped her from trying to say anything more. She simply averted her gaze to the table.

"I hope you can get along with them, they are good men that will help you in your mission, much more smoothly." The voice continued. "_If, _you can cooperate with them, without going into some…. Conflicts. I hope you don't start any, the people that work with me are… let's just say react quite sensitively to fights, like blood to a shark."

"... Aren't we all ..." Cinder muttered under her voice, in a soft and quiet whisper, guised as a sharp glare of breath. She was confident that Sera didn't hear that.

"No, we are not." The figure did pick up her muttering. Cinder flinched when the voice answered her rhetorical question. "Not like us, anyway. You pale in comparison to the time and effort we have contributed to fighting and killing for our own goals and desires."

The room was silent. And with silence came pressure from the atmosphere.

The stare from Sera made Cinder uncomfortable. Even without looking at him, she knew that his eyes were focused on her.

"... Their names are Cioccolata and Durian. If Salem's words are true, then I heard that you are currently starting to steal all of the dust that resides in Vale. If it is ok with you, could you enlighten me in _why_?"

"..." Cinder was reluctant to speak, but the crushing air that Sera exuded told her that she didn't have a say in this matter.

"... We're stealing dust for many reasons, sir."

"Continue."

"... We are trying to cripple the defenses of the city, and use the dust against them at the same time."

"Two birds with one stone."

"Yes, sir."

"... Would it be asking too much if you could hand a portion of the stolen dust over to Cioccolata and Durian?"

Cinder bit down on her lips. There were many uses for dust, but none came to mind in what Sera would do with them.

"I assure you, we are not asking for charity. It is a「Deal」. You give us the portion of the dust you have stolen, and we will be able to make something from the dust you have invested in us to make the downfall of Vale a surefire."

"... Very well, sir." Cinder's voice left her throat with visible reluctance. She kept her gaze to the table.

"Thank you, Miss Fall." The ambiguous black mass in the shape of a human stood up from his seat. "Well, Madame Salem. It seems that we no longer have anything to discuss right now. Would you like to disagree?"

"Not at all, Mr Sera."

"Perfect. Since I have some urgent business to resolve, I must regretfully take my leave. Miss Cinder, I hope that you do not agitate my men while they are assisting the downfall of Vale. I must indulge in the great sin of pride to tell you that your possession of half a Fall Maiden is mediocre at best when it is compared to the powers of Durian and Cioccolata. I hope you make sure your subordinates in Vale do not agitate them either. I gave them the order to listen to your 「Requests」and assist you with the best of their abilities, but their patience can only go so far when dealing with people that are not part of our group. Farewell for now, to the two of you."

That's when she saw the red light that illuminated the conference room was suddenly invaded by cyan light, and purple crystals being stained with lime.

The colours inverted, including herself, Salem, and Sera.

The moment the colours returned to their natural state, which took less than a second, Sera was nowhere to be seen.

It was as if Sera was never in this room.

But the black handprints plastered onto the chair that Sera had been in contact with was enough evidence that he existed.

Cinder could only stare at the bizarre occurrence, before turning to Salem.

"... Ma'am, who really is he?"

Once Salem knew that Sera was gone for good…. For now, she sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of her knows.

"... He's a being far, far, far older than mine. Older than even this world, he's the one that parents in _my_ time used to scare kids into behaving."

Cinder could only frown at the chair in response to her Queen's words.

She felt uneasy, to say the least.

"Well then, Cinder. As you have heard from Sera, his subordinates will be working with you on bringing the downfall of Vale. I advise you, _heavily,_ that you head his warnings and try to cooperate with our guests to the best of your abilities. You may return back to Vale."

For once in her life, she didn't want to leave the castle and return to Vale.

She was, to be quite honest, scared.

Even if it was two people (if, she thought, you could even consider them people), they were sent by this… primordial evil himself.

And this one was much older than Salem.

Who….. who were they?

What could they do?

To Vale?

To them?

This unknown variable scared her, made her uncomfortable.

And the fact that she had no say in this matter, and that she has no choice but to return to Vale and face them, only enhanced her reluctance in leaving her seat.

But she had to anyway, because her Queen ordered her to.

And she hated the situation more because of that.

* * *

_**DOGUSHYAAAAATT!**_

_**OOOOH, Flannel Blueberg was suddenly pulled by an unknown force, into Magenta's fist! How!? WHY!? We have so many questions, but watching the awe-inspiring performance is a much higher priority!**_

Flannel, a 6'2 girl with bright crimson hair and orange eyes, wearing a blue and white checkered tank top and a purple jacket with denim jeans and wielding a giant pile driver installed into a sledgehammer, was standing back up from the ground while rubbing her chin.

After a few minutes of frowning at the ground, she looked back up to me and chuckled.

"Nice hit, though I gotta say that your semblance is much more dangerous in my opinion."

"Then you're telling the truth. Though, that's because not a lot of people don't know when my secrets are gonna hit them."

Flannel charged back towards with, swinging the sledgehammer like it was a foam hammer toy.

I dodged the swipes and returned with the swings of Matador Carnage.

She took it like it was nothing, but I saw a bit of her Aura falling.

"Heh, they're a real sleeper, aren't they?"

She went for an overhead swing, which I dodged by rushing into Flannel, making the hammer overreach and making her body vulnerable. I went for a flying knee kick, which hit her solar plexus wonderfully. I made sure to attach 「Sticky Fingers」to her as she skidded back from the force.

"Guess so."

"Haha! No wonder you're the 3-year Vale regional champion! You're probably the most fun I had!"

"... Please don't say something that would make people misunderstand..."

Flannel, rubbing the spot I hit her, was smiling teasingly at me.

Oh god, we had another Yang.

"Oh, what? You have a girlfriend to be careful of or something?"

"...No….. I have something much, much worse."

As if on cue, 3 people stood up from their seat and promptly pointed accusingly at me. Silently.

And that made it much more embarrassing.

Ruby quickly stood up and pulled them back into their seat. Her cheeks were bright red like a strawberry.

They continued to point their index and middle fingers to their eyes, before pointing back at me, and repeating the action.

All I could do was look to the ground and sigh.

"... wow," that's all Flannel could manage. "... Aren't those your friends?"

"...Yeah….. They are."

All Flannel could do was snicker, before hefting her hammer on her shoulders.

"I guess you guys are close then."

"...Excuse me?"

Her statement caught me off guard

"... You aren't? Only close friends could do something this stupid and embarassing to mess with their friends."

….

They really were.

…..

No doubt that was the reason why I was scared of those celestial fuckers coming for me.

Because they weren't going to settle for me.

I had friends.

They had openings and hostages.

…..

…..

I was scared that I would lose them.

And I was scared that they'd lose me.

….

…..

I….

….

Now wasn't the time for this.

…..

….at least…

….not now….

….

….

I look at Flannel.

"Yeah," I stated, forcing a smile. "We're pretty damn close."

Flannel just grinned.

"I guess you'd do just fine then, champion."

"...?" I looked at her confused, readying Matador Carnage.

"You won't be lonely at the top."

"..."

I looked to the floor, then back up.

"...Yeah…. I won't be lonely."

She charged at me, and I threw Matador Carnage, imbued with the 「Spin」, and a handkerchief sticking to the blade. I attached more than just the handkerchief to the blade, but that little 「Something」was hidden in the silky cloth.

She brought the shaft of the sledgehammer up to block the throw, the spinning wheel of blades deterring her advance.

She didn't see the handkerchief on the blade, but I could understand.

I was in front of her, vulnerable to her attack, and the blade was spinning a little too fast for her too see the cloth sticking to the blade.

The head of the hammer rotated so that the pile driver was pointing out like the blade of a spear.

I tried to dodge, but the piledriver extended out at lightning speed, grabbing my foot and driving it down into the ground.

_**BAKUAAAAANG!**_

_**DIIIREEEECT HIT ON MAGENTA! THAT'S A LOT OF DAMAGE! HOW WILL MAGENTA MAKE A COMEBACK FROM THIS!?**_

She saw Matador Carnage still sticking onto her weapon, so she promptly let go of her weapon and jumped back.

She felt something stick to her left arm, and looked down to find the handkerchief now stuck on her arm.

I saw her frown, and was quickly alternating her attention between me and the handkerchief.

She was reaching out her hands towards the corner of the sticking cloth, when I said the magic word of suspicion and uncertainty.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you."

Now she was uncertain about the situation. I saw her eyes trembling a little.

I'm her opponent, whatever I say would not be trustworthy in this situation by default.

But she saw my battles, she knew how much I liked to push the mind to the limit, just as much as their physical endurance and strength.

I could be lying, buying time for something to come out of my ass and jump at her when she's not looking.

Or I could be telling the truth, and her not touching the handkerchief meant that she was sinking into a bog of lies and deceit.

Flannel was smart.

She would charge straight into fights, but she had a good brain in her head.

But that's probably what made this more effective.

It's wonderful how a single sentence can decide a person's fate.

I used the hesitation from Flannel to quickly prepare the rest of this magical trap.

A little bit of 「Sticky Fingers」here, a little bit of 「Sticky Fingers」there.

That's when I decided to grab Matador Carnage from Flannel's sledge hammer (And I subtly attached 「Sticky Fingers」on the head of the sledge hammer, and attaching it to the floor), and imbued it with the 「Spin」.

I prepared to throw it at her, which she definitely noticed, judging by her eyes narrowing at the curved crescent blade charging with yellow light.

I swung Matador Carnage back,

And swiftly reached for my pockets, fished out my deck of cards, imbued it with the 「Spin」and threw it at her.

_**OOOOOH, WHAT A SNEAKY MOVE! IS MAGENTA STARTING TO USE LOW-BLOWS TO TRY AND WIN THE MATCH, OR IS HE JUST SETTING UP A NEW SHOW!?**_

She was caught off guard, but she recovered quickly enough to back spring away from the cards shooting towards her.

The cards embedded itself on the concrete floor in a circle, still spinning into the concrete.

Flannel was now starting to shift her eyes around to me , the handkerchief on her left forearm, and the spinning cards.

She knew I was up to something.

But she didn't know what.

And that didn't deter my plans at all.

I threw Matador Carnage at her, gold lights orbiting the blade, and rotating in the air like a wheel.

_**IT'S HERE! MATADOR CARNAGE IS SLICING THROUGH THE AIR!**_

She rolled to the side as the blade went past her, just nicking her back.

_**OOOOH, BUT IT MISSED!**_

Nice, now the cogs were all set.

Now it was time to just press the switch.

I quickly reached the back of my belt, and slowly pulled out a dark cylinder.

"Hey Flannel, do you know what this is?"

Her expression told me that she did.

"Yeah, it's exactly what you're thinking. It's a dust grenade. Lightning, to be more specific. Or as Vegas likes to call it, a Boom Zap Shit."

"... Boom.. Zap… Shit?"

"Yeah, because that's the sound that always accompanies the flash bang when Vegas is near it. You know, Boom! ZZAAPP! SHIT! Replace the 'Shit' with a 'Fuck' when he's having a bad day."

I heard a distant 'Fuck you!' coming from the crowd. I'm pretty sure that was Vegas.

That was his voice. That was definitely Vegas.

I held the grenade out in front of me, and Flannel flinched.

She still didn't know what I was going to do, she was starting to be cautious of every one of my moves.

I outstretched my left hand, which held nothing.

"Uno," I shouted, flicking my hand as I said it. "Dos," I flicked my hand once more. "Tres!" I flicked my hand again, and used my palm technique to reveal a handkerchief that was hidden in the sleeve of my jacket.

Flannel jumped to the right in time with the sudden appearance of the handkerchief.

She was starting to sweat bullets.

_**OOOOH, MAGENTA HAS DECIDED TO STRAY FROM THE FIGHT AND SHOW US A MAGIC TRICK!**_

"Not quite, this _is_ still for Flannel. You're free to attack me whenever you want, you know."

Flannel decided not to take my offer. No longer was she charging straight in, she was being cautious now. She was being careful.

I could tell she was in a dilemma.

If she charges without knowing what I was doing, she could easily be ensnared in a trap, leave her vulnerable, and allowing me to finish her off as quick and easy as pie.

But leave me to do what I was doing, and she was sure going to lose once I decided to strike.

She decided to watch her surroundings carefully, getting reading to dodge and avoid everything, and anything I throw at her.

I draped the handkerchief over the grenade, patted the top of it, and then threw the handkerchief up into the air, over my head.

The handkerchief fell, and Flannel immediately brought her arms up to guard her face.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, that was including Flannel, went wide eyed and gasped when they found cards falling out of the handkerchief, with the dust grenade nowhere in sight.

The cards scattered harmlessly around me.

My right hand, reaching to the sky, slowly came down to point at Flannel.

"What are you guys all baffled for? It's right over there."

Everyone looked to where I was pointing, and everyone's eyes went wide in realization.

Flannel's eyes went wide as she saw the canister filled with explosive lightning dust resting on top of the handkerchief sticking to her arm,

The pin pulled out.

The grenade instantly went off, disorientating her as the lightning dust started to shock and disorientate her.

Sorry.

_**AAAAAAAH, WHAT A NASTY TRICK! NOW FLANNEL IS IN A BIND! COULD THIS BE THE TIME THAT EVERYONE WAS WAITING FOR!? THE MAGENTA MAGICIAN'S COUP DE GRACE SHOW!?**_

In truth, I didn't have one dust grenade.

I had two.

After attaching the first one to the handkerchief on Matador Carnage, I attached 「Sticky Fingers」 on it so that the grenade would be connected to the ceiling.

Once everyone was focused on Flannel pile-driving my foot, I quickly contracted the 「Sticky Fingers」on the grenade and the ceiling, immediately having it pulled into the ceiling and keeping it there.

The handkerchief was stuck to her arm with 「Sticky Fingers」, too.

And with that, I decided to pull out my second grenade, and make a little magic trick to draw their attention to me, and not her arm.

Once I threw the handkerchief up, replacing the content with cards, I immediately released the 「Sticky Fingers」between the grenade and the ceiling, and had the 「Sticky Fingers」 connecting the grenade and the handkerchief on Flannel's arm to contract.

Flannel had way too much focus on the handkerchief I threw and the cards to notice this.

And that was her mistake.

I immediately went to work, attaching the「Sticky Fingers」that was Flannel's solar plexus to the concrete carved out by the spinning cards.

Now she had a giant round slab of concrete flying at her.

I immediately ran to hide myself behind the flying rubble when it hit the disorientated giantess.

She stumbled back by the force, and was bewildered once the flash bang wore off.

_**OOOOOOOH, FLANNEL HAS TAKEN A HEAVY HIT, AND MAGENTA IS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN! WHAT IS THIS!?**_

I immediately jumped away from the rubble, as it was now falling to the floor and was going to give my location out anyway.

I quickly roundhouse kicked her in the left temple, and she lost her footing. I managed to attach 「Sticky Fingers」 to her head as I attacked.

_**MAGENTA APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE, AND KICKED FLANNEL RIGHT IN HER HEAD! A DIRECT HIT! WHAT AN IMPACT!**_

She skidded across the floor, to her weapon.

She saw that too, as she quickly stumbled to her weapon and grabbed it, using it as support.

I attached the 「Sticky Fingers」on her head to Matador Carnage, as I rushed into her.

She lifted her sledge hammer to guard, ready to counter me when I was within range.

But she found the head of the sledge hammer suddenly get pulled back onto the ground, as I went for a push kick into her chest.

She thought quickly enough to let go of her weapon and bring her arms into a cross-guard, blocking my kick.

_**MAGENTA WENT FOR ANOTHER KICK, BUT FLANNEL NOW KNOWS ENOUGH TO BLOCK IT!**_

That was good.

Now she was completely stuck.

I immediately stuck 「Sticky Fingers」 to her arms, and attached the other end to the floor.

I immediately jumped back and ducked my head down to the floor.

Matador Carnage was shooting from behind me, spinning wildly to Flannel.

She tried to jump to the right, but found herself stuck.

Of course she would be, she was stepping on my cards.

Her eyes went wide at the inability to take her legs off the floor, and opted to duck instead.

No use, 「Sticky Fingers」on her head made sure that Matador Carnage was like a homing battery.

She saw the trajectory of Matador Carnage change to fit her movement, and in a panic tried to move her arm up to protect herself.

「Sticky Fingers」 on her forearms, keeping them in a cross and pulled to the floor, made sure that she was open to the attack.

And the blade hit her in the head.

A direct hit.

A hit that decided who was the winner.

And that winner was me.

_**WHAT IS THIS! FLANNEL IS USING EVERY EFFORT TO DODGE AND GUARD, BUT HER OWN BODY FAILS TO COMPLY WITH HER WISHES! SHE TOOK A DIRECT HIIIIITT! HER HEAD FALLS TO THE GROUND! SHE'S OUT OF AURA! SHE'S DOOOOWN!**_

I outstretched my arms, as Matador Carnage returned back to me, rolling across my outstretched arms and into my left hand.

_**HE… HE'S INVINCIBLE! HE HAS NO WEAKNESSES! I FEAR NOT EVEN THE HUNTSMEN AND HUNTRESSES OF VALE WILL WORK!  
HE'S IMMORTAL! UNKILLABLE! UNMATCHED!**_

_**THIS IS THE BIRTH OF THE 4 YEAR VALE REGIONAL CHAMPION, THE ULTIMATE BEING, MAGENTA MAGICIAN!**_

Truth be told, I felt nothing like what she said.

Because I knew she was just overreacting. She was just pulling a Speedwagon and hyping up the crowd.

The audience of the arena ate it up regardless, standing up and cheering and shouting in excitement.

""_Magenta! __**CLAP CLAP CLAP! **__Magician! __**CLAP CLAP! **__Magenta! __**CLAP CLAP CLAP!**__ Magician! __**CLAP CLAP! **__Magenta! __**CLAP CLAP CLAP! **__Magician!"_

I bowed to the crowd.

This was my final fight, I had achieved what I wanted.

To become the 4 Year Vale Champion.

If only Mr Abel didn't send me the message, then I could've ignorantly enjoyed this moment to the fullest..

….

….

No, this was my moment.

I have to enjoy this, at the very least.

Or else I wouldn't be able to enjoy anything.

….

….

….Especially when _they_ decide to act.

_**Goal Cleared!  
Objective: Win the Vale regional tournament!  
Reward: 67,000 Exp, +500 Fame, Evolution of Title: [The Vale regional 3-year champion]**_

_**You have gained 67,000 Exp!**_

_**You have gained (2) levels!**_

_**You have gained +500 Fame! People have seen your rise to the unbelievable 4-year Vale regional champion! The only other person to achieve this was Pyrra Nikos, the invincible girl! Your rise to fame is well earned, and now you have become the pride and joy of not just Patch, but Vale as a whole!  
Some people will start to try and recruit you into their team once you graduate from Signal and join either Shade, Beacon, Atlas, or Haven Academy!**_

_**Your Title: [The Vale regional 3-year champion] has evolved!**_

_**Title: [The Vale regional 4-year champion]**_

* * *

"... and so, Torchwick, we will be having…. guests, to help you and us with our plan. They will be a great addition to our cause, and make your operation a lot smoother."

Roman was staring off to the distance as he finished his cigar.

Ashes fell to the concrete floor as his deep sighed echoed loudly in the warehouse, White fangs and Roman's own men were keeping themselves busy by moving dust crates into the shady storage house. Grumbling and heaving, due to the weights of their stolen crates.

The only sources of light was from the moon, invading the warehouse through its window.

And the glowing eyes of Cinder, who was hidden in the shadows staining the inside of the storage house.

"Perfect! I needed more hands on this anyway," Roman shouted cheerfully. "Especially so when you have nothing but animals and idiots to try and do your work."

Inwardly, Roman wanted to ask questions.

Why the sudden help?

Who were the sudden helps?

He wanted to know exactly what was going on.

But he knew enough that Cinder wouldn't be telling him.

And he knew enough not to ask.

"So! When are our lovely guests coming over?" Roman dramatically asked with his hands outstretched: a cigar in on and his Melodic Cudgel on the other.

"They will be arriving ver-"

"_AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH!_"

"... now."

The loud scream cutting through the silence made everyone recoil in surprise, except Cinder.

She guessed correctly that it was because of the two guests.

Emerald pulled out her two revolvers, as Mercury cocked his leg back and ready to strike.

Roman just gripped on his cane tighter, as they slowly walked out to see what the commotion was all about.

What they saw was… carnage.

Few dead bodies were littering the floor, and some of the White Fang members that were still alive were clutching their legs.

Deep crimson blood, mixed in with gruesome yellow, were leaking out from gashes on their legs.

A gash that had dull yellowish skin around it,

And everyone saw the yellowish decayed skin spreading.

They looked back at the corpses once more, and they now realized that the corpses looked as if they were dragged out from a week old grave.

The corpses were already rotting.

….

Or maybe the White Fangs _died_ because of them decaying.

….

Cinder couldn't tell,

And that frightened her.

Two men stood in the middle of the carnage, ignoring the cries of agony around them.

One of them noticed the group, and promptly bowed.

"Greetings," The pale man in black cassock and a black wide brimmed hat said. He then gestured his hands towards Cinder. "You must be… Miss Falls?"

Cinder wore a welcoming, but far from warm, smile in response.

"Why yes, I am."

The pale man smiled in response as he brought his hands together.

"Perfect! My name is Cioccolata. I have been sent by our 「Boss」to assist in your… goals. Pleasure to meet you."

His politeness in the midst of the carnage they created, only made the man more unsettling to the rest.

"And this," Cioccolata gestured to the man beside him, a man with a raggedy short beard and his forest green hair slicked back, having two lines forming on either side of his head due to his hair parting. "Is Mr Durian. He is my superior, and my current mentor.

"...Greetings."

"Hello, Mr Cioccolata and Mr Durian." Cinder greeted. "Though I'd say that I'm…. glad, that you two are able to come, I must ask what this commotion is all about."

She kept up her welcoming smile, but Emerald saw Cinder looking at the 2 like a feral beast. Her arms were tense, and her eyes were wary.

"...Apologies," It was Mr Durian that spoke first. "It seems that these people have yet to have been informed of our arrival, and did not believe us when we told them were came on behalf of our boss to assist in your plans. A few decided to get aggressive with us, and….."

"... He felt that our well-being was threatened, and thus acted before I could do anything." Cioccolata finished.

Cinder realized that this was a mistake on her part. She only just notified Roman, and thus there would be no chance for him to tell his men of the two.

Now they were a few men short.

"... I'm presuming that it was Mr Durian's doing, then?" Cinder asked

"Oh no, it was Cioccolata." Durian rebuked.

"... Excuse me?" Cinder asked in a confused tone.

"... Oh, you must be confused. When I said 'he', I didn't mean Mr Durian."

"... Then who?"

"... Now that," Cioccolata smiled. It wasn't the polite and welcoming smile he wore back then, it was a cruel and sadistic one, baring his teeth like a feral beast. "Must remain a secret for now. I hope you have no objections to that."

Cinder was starting to think that all of this was a bad idea.

* * *

**_Hey Guys! Sorry for the 6-day inactivity_**

**_A lot of shit went down for me, like moving into a university dorm, going to a club, trying to help 4 people safely go back to our dorm, etc. So sorry about not being able to upload something during that time._**

**_Speaking of which, Because I will be starting university soon, I won't be able to write as often as I want to._**

**_Now, does this mean I'm dropping this fiction? Nah, not in a lifetime._**

**_For now, anyway. _**

**_I have a clear idea and vision on where I want to take this, and I even planned out all the way up to RWBY Volume 7.  
I still have new friends! New Protagonists! New Enemies! And even new monsters just stewing in my head that I want to put on writing!  
It just means that instead of about 3~4 times a week, the writing might only come once a week, twice if lucky.  
_**

**_But I still want to write this, and I will, and I hope you guys are ok with the sudden drop in production rate. I'm really sorry._**

**_On another note, I've seen quite a few people think that this Cioccolata is the same one as the Cioccolata from GioGio Part 5: Aureo Vento._**

**_I'm sorry to say that it is not._**

**_I did get inspired by the Part 5 Cioccolata, but the only thing that's the same for them is the name, and probably their power (and even their powers a different, just similar.)_**

**_So, just think of the Part 5 Cioccolata and DMND Game Cioccolata, like the Josuke Higashigata from Diamond is Unbreakable, and Josuke Higashigata from Jojolion._**

**_Same name, different people._**

**_But yeah, this was the Signal arc finale! Sorry if it is a bit short, this is the first time I'm actually writing something of this length. It's a fucking miracle to me that I even managed to pull through to this point._**

**_Next chapter is going to be the Beacon Arc, and I'm confident to say that it's going to get more..._**

_**「****BIZARRE****」**_

_**Leave a comment or review! I want to hear your opinions and thoughts about this chapter! Both feedback and just what you think of the characters and events!**_


	10. Welcome, to the Grave of the Determined!

_The assembly hall of Signal academy was crowded._

_People: students, parents, and staff members, were all sitting on the seats in front of the stage, encircling the elevated platform._

_Ruby was sitting in one of the seats, trying to keep herself from jumping up and down as she looked at Yang, Vegas, Heat,_

_And Magenta,_

_All standing on the stage._

_Her father, Tai, was sitting on her right side, while Magenta's parents sat on her left._

_Heat's mother, his brother Magma and his sister-in-law Garnet were sitting with Vegas's parents._

_A man with a spiky long bear and fierce eyes was behind the students on the stage, standing on a podium with a microphone._

_Flashes were going off as parents took pictures of their children._

_The man, Principle Cielo, opened his mouth._

_**Today, we celebrate these young students finally leaving Signal academy, surviving the test, and the school. But now, they will soon realize that they must be the one to take the step towards the**__**「**__**True Hunter's World**__**」**__**. Some will linger, unable to take that**__**「**__**Step**__**」**__**, in the peaceful, secluded lands. Perhaps they were too scared, or realised that this path of carnage and fear was not for them. But to those who had the **__**「**__**Courage**__**」 **__**to take that step in the midst of the fear and carnage that hides in **__**「**__**True Hunter's World**__**」**__**, and travel on the **__**「**__**Path of light**__**」**__**! I say one thing, and one thing only:**_

_**Chapter 10: Welcome, to the **__**「**__**Grave of the Determined**__**」**__**!**_

* * *

"I can't believe it! Magenta graduated at the top of his class!" Ruby shouted as her arms

"We do." Heat and Vegas said in a half-dead tone.

"Oh shut it, you guys were 2nd and 3rd, that's still good."

"Yeah, but that means nothing compared to your achievements, oh Mr _Magenta Magician, 4-Year Vale regional champion._" Vegas replied in the most infuriating tone possible. Nasal power to the max.

"Oh fuck you, fight me."

"No thanks."

"That's what I thought, you coward."

"Magenta Magician, everybody, using his newfound powers and fame to bully other people."

"Fuck off, Heat"

"Heheheheh,"

….

….

It was fucking infuriating to deal with these two,

Yang teased me as well, but she didn't make it her life mission to fuck with me on the level of Vegas and Heat.

….

…..

….But….

…. I don't know why, but….. That….

…

….. For some reason, that made me feel a little empty when these guys weren't with me….

…..

… And it made me more scared of what would happen because I was here.

…..

….

… Yang….

….. Heat…..

…..Vegas..

…..

…. Ruby…..

….. I cherished every one of them, no matter how much we messed with each other.

And I knew that they would do anything to try and save me from them.

….

….. They'll die..

….. Just because I was their friends…..

…..

…. I….

…..

…..

…. What should I do?

…. Should I leave?

Face them alone?

They won't be hurt then,

They won't….

They won't be involved in this if I did.

All they need to do was… just focus on the Grimms and Salem

Not the gods and demons that invaded this place.

….

….

"Well, I need to go and grab some parts for Rabid Wendigo." Heat announced. "Unless you guys wanna come with, Imma split for now."

"Oh, oh!" Yang exclaimed cheerfully. "I need to retweak Ember Celica, and since both of our weapons are for punching, I want some of your opinion on what needs improvement! Lemme come with!"

Heat simply shrugged, and motioned Yang to go with him. "Well then, vaminos, bonn oir."

"Sorry sis, I'll see you at home!"

"Eh, it's fine. I need to go around shops for more supplies anyway."

"Thanks for understanding, sis!"

Before Heat started to head off, I saw him quietly talk with Vegas.

I saw the two take glances at me. Vegas quietly nodded, and Heat and Yang started to head off.

"Well, I'm gonna go around town. I'll see you guys tomorrow, or something."

"Bye Magenta!" Ruby shouted as she waved.

"See yah." Vegas simply said.

…. I guess I just need some time to think about this…..

I started to walk around the town, leaving Vegas and Ruby.

* * *

I ended up buying a can of "People like grapes" and walking around the streets.

Was it dangerous? Most likely.

Those guys could come at me any second of my life, and no one will know when I died.

…

But at least they won't get involved.

The streets of Vale were getting dark, and people were leaving the road, one by one, and took some of the street's liveliness away with them.

The roads of Vale were starting to get peaceful and quiet. And the illumination from the street lamps made the streets all the more calming.

….

"Oi, Magenta." I heard a familiar voice call out to me.

I turned to see Vegas, holding a white plastic bag filled with cans of soda, chips…

….. 5 packs of ham and egg sandwiches…..

"Hey."

"..."

The expression on Vegas's face was jarring from what he usually made.

Confidence and chill, relaxed smiles were nowhere to be found,

He showed me nothing but a frown and a thinly stretched lip, all indicating concern.

"... You think you can just walk with me and talk?"

"... If you give me some of the ham and egg sandwiches, sure."

He gave out a short snort as he started to walk with me.

" …"

Both of us silently walked through the streets, going past the street lamps, watching shops starting to close for the night.

It was Vegas that spoke first.

"... What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't try to bullshit me, Pinky. Right after the quarterfinals you started to look like the Mistral Mafia was on your ass. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't notice it?"

"... Is that what you and Hear were whispering about, back then?"

"Yeah. Truth be told, the two of us noticed it the moment Heat told us Ruby was hugging you."

"... I don't see h-"

"You only hug Ruby when she needs reassurance."

"..."

"This time," Vegas turned to look at me. His brow was furrowed. "She hugged you, to reassure you. Of fucking course we would notice."

"... I see..."

"We've known you for 3 years now. We pick these things up like a coconut in a basket of melons."

I did nothing but snicker at his analogy.

"... So come on, let's hear what's on your mind."

"... Don't want to."

"That ain't the answer I want to hear."

"「But I refuse」."

"「But I refuse」 your 「refusal」!"

"... Clingy brat."

A swift blow landed on my hindquarter as Vegas snarled at me.

"Asshole." Vegas spat out as his leg came back to help him walk.

"You're the one that's not letting go."

"And look I get it. I totally get it." Vegas said.

"Get what?"

"The reason why you don't wanna talk about it."

"I'm gonna bet my left asscheek that you don't."

"Oh yeah, dipshit? Then watch this magic trick: I'm gonna read that goddamn mind of yours for once. Here we go!"

Vegas started to bring both of his index fingers to either side of his temple, brows furrowed and face scrunched up as he stared at me.

"... You keep doing that, and I'm going to leave you here."

"Hold up, asshat, this takes a bit." He forced out as he continued to concentrate.

"Right!" He suddenly shouted. "You don't want to talk about it, because you think it's going to drag us into the problem!"

"..."

"I got it right, right~?" Vegas was jabbing his finger in my direction, grinning slyly.

"... Am I that easy to read?"

"That just shows just how much you're not being you right now."

"..."

A short snicker escaped my lips, which dragged out a chuckle out of my mouth.

"... Yeah….. Yeah…. You're right ..."

Vegas straightened up, and his face turned serious once more.

"... Well, news flash Pinky, you dragged us into it as well the moment we all met. Not just this problem, but the problems you had, and the problems you will have. All of it. You know what that means, right?"

"..."

"That means we're going to do everything we can to keep you safe. We're going to be the one kicking your ass back up whenever you fall down, whenever you stop and get into a shitty mood, even if it means _our_ lives are endangered."

…..

That was what I was worried about for the past month or two, dumbass.

"... That's exactly why I don't want to talk about it."

"Well like I said, you already dragged us into it. Therefore, your opinion on what we do has no value to us whatsoever. This has become our problem the moment you met us, don't think running away from us will stop this from being our problem."

"..."

"So, on that note, you got two choices: you can either stay quiet and have us risk ourselves more in trying to find out _why_ you're like this, on top of trying to help you. Or, you can just tell us about it and save us the effort of unnecessarily sacrificing our wellbeing."

…

…..

Vegas wasn't going to step down from this.

I knew him enough that he wasn't the type to just let that kind of thing go.

…

Neither was Heat.

Neither was Yang.

Neither was Ruby.

…

Even if I ran away, distanced myself from them, they'll just do whatever they can to find me and drag me back to them.

…

…

….. I'll make it worse by trying to run away from them…

…

….

… I have no choice but to drag them in….

…

… God, why did it have to be like this…...

…

"... Pfft… He….hehehe, hehehehhaha ha haha… ha…..ha…." Pitiful laughter was all that escaped out of my mouth.

I felt my eyes sting.

Something wet dribbled down from the corner of my eyes and down to my cheeks.

Vegas just stood there, his eyes on me.

His lips were sealed right and thin.

"... I'm gonna sound like a madman….."

"... Wanna know something?"

"... What?"

"... You either always sound like a madman or a wizard. And you know just how much of a thin line those two can be."

"... Are you honestly here to try and assure me, or are you just here to insult me?"

Vegas did nothing but give me a toothy grin with hitched eyebrows.

He was honest to god infuriating sometimes.

….

…...

But it didn't stop me from chuckling with him.

…..

I didn't know how he would react.

Should I lie?

Or should I really just tell him the truth?

Whether I sound like a madman or not, maybe he has the right to know…

Hundreds of options were swimming in my mind, but all of them started with me opening my mouth.

But before any words left my lips, something else caught my eyes entirely.

_**DANGER!**_

_**[WARNING]**_

_**DANGER!**_

_**[WARNING]**_

_**DANGER!**_

The red screen started to invade my sight.

And what more,

Sirens bombarded my ears in sync with the flashing red words.

Previous screens never had sounds, only the visual effects.

What surprised me more was the Vegas was covering his ears, as if he heard the sirens as well.

"Bloody hell, what is that!?"

No,

He heard it as well.

More screens started to fill in front of me, appearing over the previous signs of danger.

_**RUBY ROSE! **_

_**DANGER!**_

_**DANGER!**_

_**RUBY ROSE HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO A HOSTILE CELESTIAL GROUP!**_

_**PROBABILITY OF FATE OF REMNANT CHANGING:**_

_**LOADING…..**_

_**LOADING…**_

_**LOADING…..**_

_**PROBABILITY CALCULATED: 95.8%**_

_**DANGER!**_

_**DANGER!**_

Vegas was whipping his head around in a feeble attempt to figure out where the siren was blaring from.

"W-Where is that siren coming from!?"

Before my mind could process what I was reading, my legs were already going to work.

"W-Wait! Magenta, where are you going!? Hold up! MAGENTA!"

I've been to Dust till Dawn enough times to know where it was.

And at this time?

Ruby had to be there.

It was the start of Volume 1, I was sure of it.

My soul told me that this was where Ruby would start her life as a Beacons student, where she would start to make friends,

Learn,

Grow,

And stand against Salem.

My soul also told me that she was going to die like a dog before she could do anything like that.

I heard footsteps behind me, and I was confident to say that it was Vegas.

I didn't even have the luxury in my mind to turn around and confirm that it is him.

All I could do was just run.

* * *

_**Crash!**_

I saw the glass walls of the dust shop explode out in the far distance. Ruby was lunging out, before rolling back up and unveiling Crescent Rose, spinning it around gracefully before subtly turning her headphones off.

"Ok….. get her!" I heard Roman order his men.

And just like the animation, I saw the men in black suits and red sunglasses launch themselves at Ruby, only to be swiftly beaten to submission by the young lady in red.

But that wasn't all.

That wasn't what my attention was on.

My attention was on something else.

Someone else.

I saw someone that shouldn't have been here.

_**Cioccolata**_

_**Age: UNKNOWN**_

_**[Blood Criminal]  
[The Primordial will] **_

_**Level: UNKNOWN**_

_**[DANGER]**_

I saw the man we met back on the streets, leaning on the door frame, watching Ruby fight.

I saw Roman turn his head back to the man.

"... And what about you, my….. Friend?"

"I'll wait till she had fun with your men. I have some time to spare, too."

Roman grumbled at the man before looking back at his men, lying on the floor and groaning.

"You were worth every cent. Truly, you were."

Roman started to step out from the shop and onto the road, holding a fire dust in his hand.

The man was following behind him.

"Well, "Red", I think we can all say it's been an eventful evening. And as much as I'd love to stick around, I'm afraid **this** is where we part ways…"

I shot out 「Sticky Fingers」, just as he was about to throw the bright red crystal.

Roman's eyes went wide when he saw the dust stick to his hand, unwilling to part with his temporary owner.

Ruby took the chance to charge at Roman, scythe ready to hit him just like his men.

_**BAKUUUUUUM!**_

Then the man behind the criminal lunged at Ruby, faster than her.

I didn't see what he did.

I only what happened to Ruby.

She started to roll onto the floor of the street.

"Uuuuuuurrrggh…"

Crescent Rose left her side and slid across the floor. Ruby was clutching her stomach. She was dry heaving from the hit.

Roman simply looked at the man with unease, and the man did nothing but whistle.

"I guess you really are tougher than you look, Miss Rose. I was aiming to rupture your stomach with that kick, but I did nothing more disorient you. Perhaps I shouldn't have gone so softly with my kick."

…

He knew Ruby's name.

...

We never told him our name.

….

I managed to run over to Ruby before the man could do anything else.

"Ruby! Don't move! You'll injure something further!"

God, this was one of those moments when I wished I created some healing Mantras beforehand.

"Well, this is unexpected. I never expected Magenta Valentine to arrive so soon."

"..."

I did nothing but keep him within my sight.

"... Magenta?" Ruby looked at me, and managed to blurt out between her dry heavings.

"..."

"... Magenta… I think, I think I'm fine….. I can….. I can move….."

"Don't. Any wrong move here, and we're going to get slaughtered."

"Wise decision, Mr. Valentine."

No one dared to move.

….

… I was almost certain that Ruby got hurt because of me…

…. God…..

If only I wasn't here, this wouldn't have happened…..

… Right….?

I-it was because of me.

I existed in this world,

I had the Akashic Record Lite with me.

…..I painted a target on my back….. and they got involved because of me.

….

…

"... Magenta?"

… But….

… Something was wrong…

… Something was….. A bit off….

If I….

…. If I truly was their primary target….

… Why were they working with Roman?

Why were they working with Cinder?

With Salem?

All they had to do was stab me on the streets and leave.

…..

…..

Them working with the main antagonist of this world meant that whatever they were doing here wasn't going to be as simple as assassinating a teenage human on Remnant.

…..

…..

"... Cioccolata, was it?" I called out to the man.

The man's eyes went wide, before nodding.

"Yes, though I'm afraid that I never gave you my name….. Was it through the Akashic Record?"

Vegas and Ruby looked at me with a questioning look. I decided to ignore their gaze and push on.

"... Yeah. Judging by the fact that you know that I have it, you must either be part of the hostile celestial group…. Or working for them….. Correct?"

"... That is correct."

"... And I'm correct in guessing that there's something on this world here, that is very crucial to your group… right?"

"I'm afraid that I can't answer that."

"That's fine, I think I can get enough info just by seeing your work with Roman."

"... Of course you would. You most likely saw the fate of one of these worlds, and basing your deductions on our interference of such fate."

"... Yeah…. And I'm also asking just to get a confirmation."

"... Of our intentions?"

"No, I'm still left in the dark there….. I'm just trying to get a confirmation of myself."

"... Yourself."

"Yeah. My choices, my fate. My fault in getting my friends hurt like this."

"..."

"You see, I thought you guys came here because I had the Akashic Record, and that my friends got dragged into this because of me."

"... You're not wrong to think that, you know."

"... I may not, but that's only the half-truth, isn't it?"

"..."

"It didn't matter whether I existed on this world or not, you guys were going to be here, work with… Cinder's superior, and target Ruby. I was just another threat to you, another reason to target Ruby. And I was too busy being a narcissistic prick, thinking that the world was starting to revolve around me because I had a gift from god. But I know now. Whether my current assumption is right or not, we're….. We're all in this together."

Ruby

Weiss

Blake

Yang

Pyrrha

Jaune

Nora

Ren

Sun

Neptune

Heat

Vegas

Me

"... This is our 「fate」 in this 「world」. To meet you guys."

"..." Cioccolata no longer had a smile on his face. It was nothing but a blank expression, trying to read me.

Our eyes met.

"And I was too scared, too busy moping and sulking to realize that."

I have the power to stop them, to protect my friends.

I was too much of a coward to realize that.

But now, now I know.

_Well, news flash Pinky, you dragged us into it as well the moment we all met. Not just this problem, but the problems you had, and the problems you will have. All of it. You know what that means, right?_

I started to stand up.

It was too late to start hiding in a corner.

It was too late trying to stay quiet.

To wallow in guilt and fear that the gods have put me in.

_...If you… If you need help…. I'm here for you. I…. I-I may not be that much help, but I still want to try and help you as much as I can….. You were always there for us when we needed it…. For me, for Yang….. I want to do at least that much for you._

The world didn't care if I screamed and cried.

It only cared about whether I was going to take this into my own hands.

And Fight.

_That means we're going to do everything we can to keep you safe. We're going to be the one kicking your ass back up whenever you fall down, whenever you stop and get into a shitty mood, even if it means our lives are endangered._

No matter what I say, they were going to be with me, through thick and thin, even if they would lose their lives because of it.

….

Then it was human decency to do the same thing.

I'll do everything I can to help them as well.

To protect them, just as they protect me.

"... If this is my fate, then I'll gladly accept it. Cioccolata."

I was going to give my all in protecting all of my friends, even if it cost me my life.

I looked head-on into his green iris.

He stood frozen.

And then he started to speak.

"... Amazing, Mr. Valentine. It's true what Mr. Durian has said. There was indeed a reason why Ahura Mazda decided to give you the 「Path」 of 「God」 to you."

"..."

Cioccolata's lips grew into a smile, but his eyes were blaring with smoldering heat.

"I can see it in your eyes, Mr. Valentine: You have the 「Will」 of the 「Determined」. Your soul will not diminish in strength, no matter how much fear or hesitation you hold in your heart. You know that you are fated to die. You understand it. Your soul understands it. By all means, you are indeed a bigger threat to us than Miss Rose will ever be."

"..."

And the atmosphere shifted instantly.

"... And that is why I must **kill **you, **here **and **now**."

I felt Ruby grab my sleeve.

"Magenta…."

"..."

"Well Mr. Torchwick. It's about time you left. I'm sure you are old enough to go back on your own, correct?"

Roman didn't even hesitate in leaving, simply nodding at Cioccolata's words and running.

Ruby slowly got up, hesitating to leave due to Cioccolata, and the killing intent he was spewing out.

"... Ruby. You sure you're fine?"

Ruby was caught off guard by my question, considering the fact that she didn't say anything yet.

"... Yeah, I…." She looked back at Cioccolata.

"... Go, Roman ain't going to get arrested himself."

"... No, I'm going to stay here and fight with you guys."

"Don't kid yourself, you staying here is only going to do more harm than good. If you want to help, go and get Roman."

"... Magenta..."

"... Go..."

Ruby looked at me once more, and turned back to Cioccoalata.

Her legs didn't budge for a good time, before they finally creaked to life, to take their owner to her fate.

Cioccoalata didn't budge when she started to run.

He did nothing but keep his eyes on me.

And then he started to walk towards me.

I challenged him head-on, and started to walk towards him.

"Cioccoalata..."

"This means **war**!"

_**NEW GOAL CREATED:**_

_**OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE THE ONSLAUGHT OF CIOCCOLATA UNTIL ATAVAKA ARRIVES**_

_**APPROXIMATE TIME UNTIL ATAVAKA ARRIVES (RECEIVED FROM ATAVAKA'S AKASHIC RECORD): 3 min: 44 sec**_

_**MANTRA: OUGON NO SEISHIN HAS LEVELLED UP!**_

_**MANTRA: OUGON NO SEISHIN HAS BEEN ACTIVATED!  
**__**You have gained the 'effects' of 'Determination': So long as you are motivated, you have the strength to **__**「**__**STAND**__**」 **__**up and fight after taking hits after hits.**_

* * *

**_Hey guys, I'm back._**

**_First off, sorry for the short uninteresting chapter. I had a hard time thinking up how to get Magenta out of his Heroic BSOD, so I decided to focused this chapter on the start of Ruby's destiny, as well as Magenta's proper determination in keeping his friends safe, and joining the war between gods to... well, get Magenta out of his Heroic BSOD._**

**_You guys be safe from the Corona Virus, you hear?_**


	11. They are all those of 'Brotherhood'

It all happened in an instant.

_**GAKUUUUUUUN!**_

One step

All I could take was one step,

And that was all that took for his fist to seal my fate.

"MAGENTAAAAA!"

Vegas was shouting behind me, he only just noticed the fist emerging through my back.

A fist, coated with blood and glistening red in the streetlights like a ruby.

A hand of a Crimson King.

"... A human never truly knows when their life will expire. After all, one can only tell that a flame will expire soon when it is but a flickering flower, clinging onto the last wax or log. You knew you would die, but who knew that you would die without a proper fight."

That's all I could hear before the sound of my own heart drowned out everything else.

My knees gave in, dragging the rest of me with it to the floor.

I felt my back starting to grow cold and wet.

My eyelids were starting to feel heavy.

….

….

.. Shit….

… Even if I tried to keep my eyes open, it was no use….

…. Everything's starting to become a blur.

"... Cioccolata…"

I forced out the wretched name out of my lips.

Even in my final moment, there was something that I had to say. Every cell in my body told me that it was absolutely dire and necessary.

"... Yes?"

….

…

…

"April Fools, bitch."

Got eem

* * *

_**GAKUUUUN!**_

It was Cioccolata that drew the first blood.

His left arm instantly flew from his side to my face.

It only failed to hit its intended target because its path was obstructed by my right arm, flying up into a guard to protect myself in the last millisecond.

I felt my body stumble back from the punch. The weight that was pushed into the punch was unbelievable for how light the motion looked.

Cioccoalata's expression told me that the jab itself wasn't meant to do anything.

It was either nothing more than to test the waters.

Or it was meant to do something else entirely.

The strike caused my arm to be washed with pain.

Thank god I had my aura, or else it would've been broken already.

I saw Cioccolata starting to stand on the ball of his feet, he was bouncing up and down in a slow rhythm.

He was getting warmed up and ready.

Then, 4m away from me, his limbs turned into a blur.

_**BABABABABABABABABABAKAUUUNG!**_

I immediately brought my arms up once more in a crossguard, and the barrage was picked up by the nerves in my arm faster than my eyes.

The forces from his strikes were no longer jabs. Aura alone couldn't mitigate it. Exposed to his barrages any longer, and it was clear that my Aura would break like a sandcastle.

I was only able to hold out thanks to 「Sticky Fingers」, which made the auras on my arms elastic and durable to blunt forces like rubber.

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**Hp: 3,542/3,542  
Aura: 6,242/7,347**_

_**GACHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHI!**_

Specks of light started to sparkle at the corner of my eyes, which promptly stopped Cioccolata's onslaught and forced him to take a step back.

I saw fragments of the asphalt road flying into different directions and realized that it was Vegas's doing.

His coins were embedded in the road, spinning into the hard asphalt floor like it was nothing but sand.

"... I see your friend has decided to join us as well."

"Damn right I did! What made you think that I'd just stand here and watch you kill my friend!"

"... Vegas, you do realize that you could die here…. Right?"

"..." Vegas stood silent with a frown for a minute,

"Tch," Before clicking his tongue and pointing at me. "Of course I do! I can already tell that he can put us down like sick dogs if we make one wrong 「move」!"

"..."

"But I don't give a shit about that! Magenta, you keep spouting shit about 「courage」! That 「courage」 is knowing 「fear」, and that you step forward to 「fight」 even with that 「fear」 in your 「heart」! Well, I can see that you're shaking!"

Cioccolata tested the water about now and decided to strike, but promptly stopped himself when the coins embedded in the floor started to ignite like an explosive as soon as he got near.

"You're 「shaking」, Magenta! You know they're after you, I can tell they are! I can get the gist of what's happening! These guys are the reason why you were looking so sick for the past 2 months! But you decided to fight! You decided to accept what's happening, and you're trying to break through it! Your 「fate」! Your 「limit」! Your showing 「courage」! As a friend, I can't just let you stand here and try to face this fear alone! I'm doing it too! I'm going to face this 「fear」 with you! **We** are going to face this 「fear」 with you! Because this is our problem as well! Your 「fears」 are my 「fears」! Your 「Pain」 is my 「Pain」! I may talk shit a lot, but for once those words weren't empty promises! So get your ass ready Magenta, cuz' I'm going to be kicking it back up every time you fall back down! I'm going to gamble my 「life」 here, and I'm betting it all on 「**you**」!"

Cioccolata looked at Vegas.

"... You seem to have made very good friends, Mr. Valentine."

"... Can't really confirm that, they're a real pain in the ass sometimes."

"I'm taking back what I said, Magenta. You can die by yourself."

A small chuckle escaped Cioccolata's lips.

"What words, Mr. Dandelion. And yet I see that you will die for your friend here without hesitation."

"... Cioccolata, was it? I can tell you this for sure: My 「heart」 and 「actions」 are utterly unclouded….!"

_**Chapter 11: They are all those of 'Brotherhood'.**_

* * *

"That makes this situation all the more dire."

That was all Cioccolata said before his feet dug into the asphalt floor, showing the strength of his legs.

…..

….

Or the fragility of the roads.

Cioccolata felt something was off with the roads, as he quickly looked down to his feet as he was running towards Vegas.

The asphalts were crumbling….

... a little too fast.

Like the roads were made out of loose sand.

Another significant difference was the speed of Cioccolata.

His speed was much slower than before.

And he was moving like he was ankle-deep in water or sand.

_**GACHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHI!**_

More coins started to fly towards Cioccolata.

He couldn't dodge most of the coins flying at him and decided to swat them away from him.

The yellow lines of light spinning chaotically around the coins told me that he imbued it with the 「Spin」, causing them to dig into Cioccolata's arms.

I saw them starting to twist the muscles, snapping his arms and fingers into dangerous angles.

It was clear Vegas was going all out.

But Cioccolata looked like he was treating the coins as nothing more than minor nuisances.

He was enduring the 「Spin」, and I saw his hands forming into fists, despite the interference of the coins.

I saw Cioccolata's right-hand blur, and in a moment of panic shot out 「Sticky Fingers」 at Vegas in an attempt to pull him away from the strike.

Cioccolata's hand landed first,

But it did nothing.

The fist landed on Vegas's cheek, but it simply slid across his face like it was coated in oil.

The force put into the strike became his own undoing as his body twisted to show off his right side.

Cioccolata's right side was open, and Vegas didn't miss it.

He started to unload his coins into the right rib of Cioccolata, and that forced Cioccolata to step back and tried to use his left hand to block any of the coins that he couldn't dodge.

The coins also slid around Cioccolata's left hand, just like its right counterpart.

It effortlessly homed into his ribs.

I saw the coins stressing out Cioccolata's aura, illuminating in a sickly Persian green light, trying to block off the buzzing yellow lines.

Cioccolata did nothing but look at the coins, and then back at Vegas.

"... Interesting. I don't think the 「Spin」 can make my hands slip like they were dipped in oil."

…..

….. He knew about the 「Spin」.

But that didn't surprise me as much as it should.

Vegas did nothing but stare at Cioccolata. He dropped the canister to the floor and grabbed 2 more from his vest.

_**3 min 32 seconds**_

"... 「Price and Profit」."

"... Pardon?"

"「Price and Profit」. That's all I'm going to say to you."

_**Mantra: Price and Profit**_

_**Level: 32**_

_**-**__**Soft & Wet... When my soap bubble touches something and breaks, I take something from there.**__**\- Josuke Higashikata**_

_**Effect: Holding a belief that everything has a price, Vegas Dandelion's views of the world developed his semblance into having the current effect:**_

_**-Converts Aura to have the concept and property of [Currency] and imbues the Aura into whatever he touches.**_

_**-[Currency]: Causes the Aura to **__**「**__**Buy**__**」 **__**a property of whatever it touches, depending on the amount of Aura converted to have the property of [Currency]. (Ie. Temporarily **__**「**__**Buying**__**」 **__**the sights of someone will cost more Aura to use than **__**「**__**Buying**__**」 **__**the frictions of someone or something.)**_

_**\- Properties **__**「**__**bought**__**」 **__**by the Aura will be stored inside the object imbued by the Aura, until it is commanded to be released.**_

"... I seemed to have been too impatient to take this situation with the proper weight it should carry. Apologies, I shall make up for it by taking this more seriously."

Cioccolata brought his arms up horizontally, the coins still spinning into them through the strength of the 「Spin」.

Then I saw it with my own two eyes.

The same yellow lines of light that spun through my weapons, through Vegas's weapons.

Starting to appear on Cioccolata's arms.

Spinning in the opposite direction of the lines of light orbiting Vegas's coins.

And I saw the Coins stop dead in their tracks, and fall harmlessly on the floor.

"A word of advice, as a 「Spin」 practitioner as well: A 「Spin」 without harnessing the 「Golden Rectangle」, is like an 「Eagle」 that has failed to harness its ability to 「fly」."

The coins digging into his ribs soon fell with its brethren, clattering harmlessly to the ground.

Vegas did nothing but watch.

"... Magenta," Vegas spoke out. "This guy's starting to scare me."

Cioccolata brought his left hand up.

If….. If I'm right, then Vegas most likely 'bought' the 'durability' of the Asphalt road, and the 'frictions' of Cioccoalta's arms

So by all means, whatever his arms could do, wouldn't be that much of a problem….

…. Right?

Why is this simple action frightening me so much?

Then I saw it.

In the briefest moment, I saw something hover over Cioccoalata's left hand.

It looked like claws, a talon of a bird.

Or a crude imitation of one,

Colorful, very colorful.

It was fragmented into several small patches of color, like stained glass.

And I knew that something was coming.

"VEGAS, WATCH OUT!"

Vegas reacted to my shout, and suddenly rolled to the side.

And at the same time, the yellow lines of light started to orbit around Cioccolata's left hand, before something shot out from his index and middle finger.

_**DOKOOOOO!**_

Like a bullet.

It left clouds of dust rising from the asphalt road, where Vegas stood seconds before.

And Cioccoalta took this chance to turn into a blur, appearing in front of Vegas as he was rolling.

Cioccolata's right leg started to envelop itself in a sickly Persian green glow,

_**TOGOOO!**_

before it swung into Vegas, striking him in the stomach.

"Huuuurgh!"

Vegas dry heaved as he rolled back from the force of the kick.

Luckily his Aura was able to protect the strike.

It looked like he covered the distance in one leap, never touching the ground until he got close enough to strike…

_**CRACK!**_

The sudden sound made me look at what made the sound.

It was the hole,

The hole left by whatever Cioccoalta shot out.

The hole was starting to crack, looking like thunderbolts on the asphalt floor.

"... Asphalts have quite a half-life, so you'll only ever see the aftermath of its decay." Cioccoalata said as he turned back to me.

"It should be quite an experience for you to see the process."

He smiled,

And that was all the confirmation I needed to know that Vegas was in danger right now.

"VEGAS, GET AWAY FROM THERE!"

The cracks started to stretch towards Vegas, like starved snakes that found their prey.

Vegas immediately got back up, trying to avoid the stretching and snaking cracks.

He dropped a few of his coins on to the road,

And we saw what would happen if one of us touched the cracks.

As soon as the coins landed on the lines of cracks on the road, we saw the coins cleave in half.

The coins, they were durable.

Even if they weren't coated with Aura, they were still customized and minted to be used as Vegas's weapon.

And yet they cleaved effortlessly the moment they were dropped onto the crack.

And that wasn't all.

The surface of the coins started to flake off, revealing a dark-brown surface underneath.

Like a scab,

Or a burn scar.

Cioccolata did something, but I didn't know what.

Unfortunately, Cioccoalata didn't give me any time for me to think and figure out his secrets.

The crude imitation of bird talons now appeared on both of Cioccolata's hands,

_**DOKOOOO!**_

_**DOKOOOO!**_

_**DOKOOOO!**_

_**DOKOOOO!**_

Before 4 shots started to whistle towards me.

I shot 「Sticky Fingers」 up onto the walls of the buildings behind me to get out of the way.

The 4 projectiles started to twist to try and follow me, but it could only turn so much, missing me entirely.

But now I had Cioccolata himself lunging towards me.

…

Fuck me.

I stretched out my Aura like a membrane with 「Sticky Fingers」, trying my best to stop Cioccolata's strike with it.

And then I got a good look at Cioccoalta's left hand.

It was cover with that same stained-glass like an appendage, that bird talon.

It was stretching my Aura thin, threatening to rip it open.

A kick flew into me from the right, and I ducked my head down to dodge it.

Only for my head to become vulnerable for his left knee, which flew into my chin with quite a force.

My head immediately shot back up, and he grabbed the top of my hair with his free hand, enveloped in that grotesque model of a bird talon, and smashing me into the windows behind me.

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**Hp: 3,542/3,542  
Aura: 4,320/7,347**_

It hurt like a bitch.

_**2 minutes 48 seconds**_

I could feel my Aura leaving me to take the brunt of the hit instead.

I still had a bit, but now my moves needed to be conserved if I wanted to last longer.

I retaliated with a kick, which he dodged by swaying to the side.

I took this as a chance to shoot out 「Sticky Fingers」 from my foot, onto the street lamp.

He went for another open-palm strike, and I dodged that as well, using this as another chance to go for a roundhouse kicked.

He guarded himself with his left arm, and I used this chance to attach the other end of 「Sticky Fingers」 onto him.

All I need to do was will my Aura to contract, and I saw him finally get off my ass and fling into the street lamp.

_**Clang!**_

He crouched into a ball to minimize the damage and immediately grabbed onto the top of the lamp to keep himself from falling.

"... Well, wasn't that a surprise." Cioccolata whistled out.

"..." I remained silent.

The part of the street lamp that he was grabbing onto was turning from grey to reddish-brown. The coating was starting to flake off.

"... Your semblance. It's something to do with 'decaying', isn't it?"

"..." It was Cioccolata's turn to pull out Miranda's rights.

He hefted himself up the lamp, and stood on the narrow metal bar.

And then he lunged at me.

_**ZUKYUUUUUUUN!**_

I counted by throwing a steel ball at him, imbued with the 「Spin」,

_**DOKOOOOOOO!**_

But that wretched talon appeared once more to shoot something at my weapon,

And just like that, my proud weapon, who stayed by my side for the past 5 years, was given the dishonor of cleaving in half so effortlessly.

But Cioccolata didn't give me the time to dwell on that.

I quickly jumped from the building to roll on the floor.

This time, Cioccolata's shot was precise enough to home into me,

_**ZUBABABABA!**_

"FFFFFFFFFFUCK!"

I instinctively yelled out in pain.

My Aura was still there to protect me from the damage it would cause.

But unless one had a semblance, it wouldn't mitigate the force, nor the pain.

And I felt that thing drilling into my left calf, It didn't go into my legs because of my Aura, but perhaps that would've made the pain subside quicker.

And I was able to get a good look at what Cioccolata was shooting out.

"... What the fuck?"

Even if it was drilling into me, I saw it quite clearly

The curved shape, starting thick and slowly ending into a small point.

It was an actual talon of a bird.

The fuck was this guy, Johnny Joestar?

_**WHOOOOSH!**_

Cioccolata was lunging high up, and coming down with an axe kick.

I quickly rolled to the side, and pulled out Matador Carnage from my inventory.

"... Shit…"

My calf still had the 「Spinning」 talon digging into it.

It was starting to look like a broken shard of glass now.

I took out my remaining steel ball.

I wasn't able to harness the 「Golden Rectangle」 yet, but I figured it was enough to cancel the force of the talon.

The steel ball rotated in the opposite direction of the talon. The talon slowed down at first, but slowly started to speed back up to its original velocity.

Shit….. So this was the difference in the closeness to the golden rotation.

… How did he even manage to spin in that closely?

There's nothing here that is natural for him to use as a reference…..

….. Right?

My left calf was still hurting, but the spin made it sturdy enough to mitigate the damage it caused to my Aura.

It was enough for me to stand on it.

"..."

We both stood there quietly.

Then Cioccolata lunged foward.

I immediately dropped to the ground and spun into a kick.

Cioccoalata guarded against the kick and shot out a knife-hand strike.

I used my remaining leg to hook my Matador Carnage to swing my bladed wheel around to block his kick, redirecting his strike to the side.

He used this situation to his advantage and used the torque from the redirected strike to spin into an elbow strike, coming down towards me.

I swung around, rotating my weapon around my leg to turn into a makeshift shield and blocking the strike. The force hurt my leg, but it was a lot better than dealing with an unguarded one.

He spun back around to go for a side chop, and I countered with spinning around into a kick once more.

I went for an axe kick, in which he grabbed, and I used that chance to attach 「Sticky Fingers」 onto his hand.

At the same time, I spun Matador Carnage around my body to my arms, bringing my knees to my chest and using my free leg kick forward.

He redirected the kick to bring in an open-palm strike.

I immediately swung the bladed wheel up, hitting his hand up to leave him unguarded.

I brought my free leg in and kicked into his torso.

Or at least, I would've,

But then that bird talon shot out from his torso to grab my other leg, and he used that chance to stomp on my chest.

He used his other leg to stomp on Matador Carnage.

And in a brief second, I saw something rising out of Cioccolata, connecting to that talon grabbing my arm.

A multicolored imitation of some bird, with long legs, long neck, and a long and narrow beak.

It looked like those scrap art sculptures, consisting of intricate parts and plates, finished and tinted off with those stained glass-like shards streaming out like feathers. Few gaps in between showed off white marble-like bones.

It was an inexplicable mess of beauty and horror.

Especially that inanimate imitation of an eye trained onto me.

It looked like a human bloodshot eyeball that was too small for its socket, yet it didn't look real.

Glistening in the streetlamp, it looked like it was a wax model, or plastic.

Darting its head around, It stopped onto my face,

_**KIEEEEEEEEEEEK!**_

And screeched at me.

_**Wraith Crane**_

_**Level: 93**_

_**[Wretched Cannibal]**_

_**Race: Mantra Beast**_

_**Type: Avian**_

_**Rank: D**_

It reeled its head back, purplish, pinkish, greenish gas rising out from the gaps of its beak and under its socket, and lunged its head forward at me, preparing to strike me with its beak.

Shit….

"Uoooooooo!" I screamed out instinctively.

I was completely pinned...

_**GACHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHICHI!**_

More coins flew into our direction, and that forced Cioccolata to move away from me.

The trail of coins started to follow Cioccolata, and he knew not to touch any of the coins.

And we saw something unbelievable.

He started to run towards the building, coins trailing behind him, and he _fucking ran up the wall._

Cioccolata shot out two more of those wretched talons at Vegas, in which he dodged out of the way.

More cracks started to appear on the asphalt road, snaking towards Vegas.

Vegas started to make a run for it, still shooting more coins at Cioccolata.

Cioccoalata started to run across the wall again, shooting more talons.

I assisted in Vegas by turning Matador Carnage into a shotgun, and open fired.

The Wraith crane, bending its neck like a serpent, turned its head 180 degrees to look at me.

Then it turned the rest of its body, still attached to Cioccolata.

"... Dude," Vegas spoke out. "The fuck is that thing?"

Looks like Vegas could see the thing as well.

"... I don't know…." That's all I could manage to spit out.

It started to flap its wings, and with every motion, I saw something sparkling around it.

Then, it stopped flapping its wings, letting us see what was sparkling around it.

Shards, like glass or crystal, that clearly came from its wings.

It was its feathers.

Maybe that's what Cioccolata used as a reference for the 「Golden Rectangle」.

But I had not time to dwell on something like that right now.

_**KIEEEEEEEEEEEECK!**_

It let out a wretched cry before it flapped its wing once more.

The shards started to rain towards us, intent on hitting us.

I stretched out my Aura to catch the ones flying towards me, which stopped at right before my eyes.

Vegas started to change his target from Cioccolata to the feathers, shooting them down as fast as possible.

"Urk!"

"Fuck!"

But we couldn't block all of them.

Although they missed the vitals, few shards went into my calves, knees, and thighs.

Vegas got few embedded into his shoulders and forearms.

I couldn't believe that it ignored our Aura so effortlessly, and in a moment of panic, I checked my status.

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**Hp: 3,020/3,542  
Aura: 3,141/7,347**_

….. I still….

I still had Aura,

Then how?

….

It… It was clear it was a mantra.

"Wh-what the fuck! I still have Aura, but it went through it like it was made of horseshit! What the fuck are these!?"

It was understandable why Vegas was freaking out. He didn't know what was going on at all.

"Vegas, stay calm! We're giving what Cioccolata wants!"

I looked back at my status, and I couldn't believe my eyes.

_**Magenta Valentine**_

_**Hp: 2,910/3,542  
Aura: 3,021/7,347**_

My Aura…. My health….

It was falling.

"... M-Magenta! I know you told me not to freak out here, but I'm having a hard time not to!"

I looked back at Vegas.

And I saw his shoulders and arm rotting.

It was starting from those shards and slowly spreading.

I looked back at my wounds, and saw that it was the same for me as well.

…. What is this, poison?

Then a new status screen popped up: Ruby red.

_**DANGER!**_

_**YOU HAVE GAINED THE STATUS: NECROSIS (TIER 3)**_

_**YOUR HEALTH, AURA, AND VAJRA WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY DRAINED (THIS WILL INCREASE EXPONENTIALLY)!**_

_**YOU WILL SLOWLY START TO LOSE FUNCTIONS IN YOUR LIMBS AND ORGANS!**_

_**YOU WILL GAIN A 45% DEBUFF TO ALL STATS!**_

"... It seems it's my win." Cioccolata spoke out.

Shit, we got the main enemy out of our sight.

I looked back at where Cioccolata should've been,

And he was no longer there.

"Word of advice to carry with you when you go back to Nirvana, Mr. Valentine. Always keep your eyes on who you are fighting."

I heard his voice behind my back.

And I felt a drop of sweat travel behind my back.

But I still wasn't out of this world yet.

I shot out the other end of 「Sticky Fingers」, which was attached to Cioccolata's hand, to the nearby streetlamp, and willed it to contract.

I immediately turned around, switching Matador Carnage into a battleaxe to swing at Cioccolata.

"Not so fast, Mr. Valentine. I won't fall for that a second time."

The Wraith Crane's wing immediately swiped across my Aura thread, cleaving it off from its master.

At the same time, the hand that was connected to 「Sticky Fingers」 grabbed the blade of Matador Carnage like it was just a styrofoam toy.

His left leg blurred, and my legs immediately flared up in pain.

"Huurk!"

He was kicking into my legs repeatedly, targeting nothing but the shard-like feathers in order to kick it deeper into my legs.

I couldn't endure the hits, and my knees fell to the ground.

Cioccolata took this chance to bring his other hand up into a knife-hand strike. His Aura fully concentrated into the hand, still had that bird talon overlap it.

It dug into my ribs, breaking the remaining Aura barrier on my body.

Blood was spilled on the road.

My blood.

I felt something well inside me. Climbing up my throat and forcing me to cough it out.

It was blood as well, leaving a splotch of it on Cioccolata's coat.

"...S-shit…"

"Magenta!"

"I'm sorry it had to be this way."

Vegas couldn't fling his coins anymore. The shards embedded in his arms made sure that he was out of commission for a while.

But that didn't stop him from trying to get Cioccolata away from me.

He charged in, going for a side kick.

I saw the free talon of the Wraith Crane strike out to grab Vegas's leg, and use its wing to slice him across his chest.

The slash broke through his Aura, but did its job in protecting Vegas from any dire injuries.

The force caused him to roll across the road, away from the two of us.

Cioccolata removed his hands from my ribs, and I felt my strength leave with him.

My hands fell to the ground in a shitty attempt to support me.

I didn't have any strength left to stand back up and fight.

To run.

To do anything.

I couldn't do anything anymore.

I was at his mercy.

I lost.

Again.

"Ha… Ha….. shit….."

That's all I could force out as I turned up my head to face him.

He was looking down at me, and for the briefest moment, I saw The Starved Hound's eyes overlap with his.

It was a shitty feeling.

… God…..

In the end, I couldn't do what I wanted to do most.

I couldn't live,

I couldn't see Ruby and Yang enter Beacon.

I couldn't see Blake and Weiss become friends with the sisters.

I couldn't see them getting along with Team JNPR,

Having fun,

Hunting Grimm.

While they carried on with my life,

I would die here on the streets like a dog.

"...Haha, ha….."

I felt something wet dribble down my eyes, across my cheeks,

And hit the floor.

I wasn't blood, at least.

"... Farewell, Mr. Valentine."

I saw him bring his hand up, brought together like a blade, a knife-hand.

And he swung down to a chop.

I could feel myself slowly getting lightheaded.

My eyelids were slowly falling down.

I did nothing but close my eyes.

_**SHUUUUUUN!**_

"MAGENTAAAAAA!"

That's all I heard before my mind fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

"MAGENTAAAAAAA!"

That was all Vegas could scream out. That was all that he could do.

That was all he could do as his friend's life started to expire before his eyes.

"DON'T YOU DARE TO IT, YOU FUCKER!"

He shouted at Cioccolata. Cioccolata ignored the shoutings from Vegas as he slowly started to bring his hand down.

The final strike to end Magenta's life.

_**SHUUUUUUUUUN!**_

It started to swing down with speed and force of an executioner's axe.

_**GACHUUUUUUN!**_

But it soon halted when something flew through Cioccolata's descending hand.

_**ZUBA!**_

It cleaved through Cioccolata's arm, separating his hand from his wrist.

The projectile that managed to perform such task embedded itself proudly on the road.

A golden trident, with yellow lines of light orbiting around the weaponry.

Blood started to spray out of Cioccolata's wound in high pressure, but then slowed to few dribbles, before stopping entirely.

Cioccolata didn't scream. He didn't even grimace in pain.

He looked more surprised than anything.

"Shit… I wasn't too late, was I?" A foreign voice spoke out from the direction the trident came from.

And there, stood a figure. Wearing a green shirt that was buttoned only up to his chest, and wearing khaki business pants that fit his legs tightly, revealing the toned muscles underneath.

"... And who might you be?"

"... What, didn't Durian tell you about it? I'm Atavaka, and I'm here to take these kids with me. Alive, and not harmed any further."

"..."

And the streets stayed silent once more.

* * *

Roman Torchwick was burning cigars after cigars as he sat in the Bullhead. He was supposed to wait up for Cioccoalta, but the situation forced him and Cinder to leave beforehand.

That only made him anxious of what might happen next. Sure, he weaseled himself out of tight situations several times before. And this wasn't the first time leaving a crew member behind. He managed to convince several other crimelords of his reason, give them a good excuse to not have him end up in a bloody trash can in the alleyway.

The problem is, the people he would have to deal with weren't crime lords.

No, no no no. They were far from it.

They were frickin monsters.

They were the type that made people rot into 3-week old corpses just because they bumped into them.

Reasons be damned for those _delightful_ chaps, they went with their emotions.

If they heard that he and Cinder left their subordinate behind to take the short end of the stick, then no amount of excuse was going to keep them safe.

And it seemed that Cinder was just as nervous as he was, as she made no attempt in smug smirks and sultry-toned speeches.

She was silent, folding her arms and tapping her glass high heels on the metal floor and creating that irritating rhythm

He wasn't going to tell her that, though. He was smart enough not to push her buttons in this situation.

Well, if anything, he wouldn't have hesitated to smirk at her, push his limits and maybe take a photo or two of her breaking that smug attitude and suffering. Maybe send it to Neo for her to enjoy as well.

But no, they had no luxury. They couldn't pin the blame on this one. They wouldn't listen. They didn't care why, they only cared that they did it.

Roman was dying to go for a detour, to try and think up of a plan to ease the pain as much as possible.

"So, I see you two have finished."

But life had very little concessions.

Durian's voice boomed out behind them, and Roman and Cinder both flinched in response.

"D-Durian! Buddy!" Roman spoke first, trying to put on a smug persona. Trying to hide his anxious fears.

Durian simply looked at Roman, then to Cinder.

"Is this the last dust robbery till the next shipment arrives."

"... Yes, Mr. Durian. This is all there is for the next few months." Cinder managed to force the words out of her mouth. Smiling at Durian as she spoke.

"Good." Durian looked around the plane, walking out to the passengers' seats, and then to the cargo bay, and then returning back to the pilot's room.

"... Where is Cioccolata."

The million-dollar question finally arrived, and neither Roman, nor Cinder was willing to answer.

Cinder's eyes were starting to grow wide, as her hands balled into fists to keep them from shaking.

"W-well, about that….. We-"

"Are you telling me that you left Cioccolata."

"...Y-you see-"

"I see clearly that something went wrong and you used my pupil as a shield to take the brunt of it. Am I wrong?"

"N-now, now! It's not like that! He-"

They were interrupted by the banging on the door of the Bullhead. It startled the two criminals, causing Roman to grip on his cane tightly and Cinder to unballing her fists to spawn flames in her palm.

Durian did nothing but walk over to the door, and opening it before the other two could react.

And out came Cioccolata, with strange-looking wings sprouting out behind his back.

Wings that looked like a sculpture of scrap metal and stained glass. Colorful, fragmented.

And Cioccolata looked like absolute shit.

His left wrist was nothing but a bloody stump, and his right leg ended only down to half of his calf. There was a gash running down the right side of his face, threatening to open up and spill the content inside his head over the floor.

He was carrying his foot and hand in his right arm, limp and lifeless.

"... What happened to you." Durian spoke first.

"I decided to stay to kill Mr. Valentine. I almost succeeded too."

"Did they retaliate and leave you like this?"

"No sir. Not at all. I immobilized Mr. Dandelion and left Mr. Valentine spewing blood and spilling his guts on the floor."

"... Then what did that you."

"... Atavaka, sir. He arrived just as I was about to finish Mr. Valentine off."

Roman and Cinder saw Durian's face crinkle up at the mention of Atavaka.

It was the first time the two saw Durian show any kind of emotion.

And it was clear to them that it was anger.

Wrath.

Visceral wrath at the mention of the name.

He put his hands inside his pocket, and brought out something to give to Cioccolata.

"Here, fix yourself up."

It was threads and needles.

Cioccolata took it, and went over to a spare seat. He started working on his severed hand first, sewing it back on with extreme precision and speed.

He didn't waste any time on moving to his legs,

As soon as he started to work on sewing his face together, Roman and Cinder turned away to look somewhere else.

It was disgusting to see, and just uncanny on how calm Cioccolata was with this whole situation.

He wasn't even wincing in pain.

They heard a scroll dialing,

"Yes, sir. It's Durian."

Then they heard Durian's voice.

"Yes, sir. The dust heist is finished. I called to inform you that Atavaka has arrived, sir. Yes, sir. Cioccolata was the one that engaged with Atavaka, sir. He's sewing himself back up with the 「Nazca threads」, sir. Yes. Yes. I understand, sir. Yes. Thank you, sir. Take care, sir."

* * *

I found myself awake in a foreign bed, looking up at a white ceiling.

I slowly looked around. Empty beds lined either side of me.

I was in a hospital

Open windows let its curtains flutter serenely in the bright sunlight, revealing crystal blue sky that held no clouds,

The sun was on its way to the other horizon, but there was still plenty of time before it disappeared to drag the night with it.

There was no one else in the hospital room I was in, so it was much more serene and calm.

The atmosphere in this room was very soothing for my heart, especially when I started to remember exactly why I was in this hospital in the first place.

"..."

I was mindlessly looking around the room, when the sound of the door opening echoed out into my room.

I instinctively looked towards the door, to see Heat coming into the door.

Our eyes meet, and Heat's eyes widened.

"Magenta!"

"Sup."

Heat walked out the door quickly, and I heard muffled shoutings coming from the gap of the door.

Soon enough, the rest of my friends and family rushed into the door.

Vegas had both of his arms bandaged and in casts.

Yang and Heat looked fine, both worried and relieved showing on their face.

It was my parents and Ruby that had it worst.

My father's face was pale as the sheets on the hospital bed, his breathing was light as he ran up to bring me into an embrace.

My mother had the same expression as Ruby, mouth covered by her hand and tears glistening in her eyes.

I couldn't blame her, her own son was nearly killed by an unknown assailant in the streets of Vale and she didn't know about it.

Ruby was actively crying as she stood beside Yang and my mother.

It took several minutes to finally calm them down. Apparently Vegas and Ruby filled them in with details.

A criminal with a strange bird and abilities they found hard to believe to be a semblance.

The Regional semifinalists and champion of Vale, both ending up suffering from heavy necrosis. Among many other injuries.

The only reason why they were alive was because of the timely intervention of a huntsman named Forest Religiosa.

Ruby finally came up to me while we were talking, when she started to sob.

"I-I…..I-I'm s-sorry… I-I left you guys to deal with them a-and…..and, and y-you g-guys…."

I put a hand on top of her head, making her briefly stop talking and look at me.

"... It's fine. You did nothing wrong. It was better this way, too. You would've gotten hurt the worst if you stayed."

She finally broke down then and there, falling to her knees.

The next day, the 5 of us were gathered around my hospital bed.

According to Ruby (back to her peppy self), she managed to meet Professor Ozpin after the whole ordeal, and managed to get into Beacon Academy.

Apparently there was another old man that sat next Ozpin during their talk. According to Ruby, he had hair just a white as Ozpin, with a white beard like a stalagmite.

And eyes like a starry night sky.

That was enough description for me to realize who it was.

And speaking of the devil…..

The door creaked open and we all turned to see who it was.

Professor Ozpin…. Forest Religiosa, a man with a bulky, muscular frame with mossy hair and a permanent frown, wearing nothing but a white half-buttoned shirt with khaki business pants…..

And Ahura Mazda himself.

"Professor Ozpin!" Ruby shouted out.

"Good evening, Miss Rose. While it is nice to meet you, I do hope it's ok if we talk to Mr. Valentine." Ozpin replied.

Vegas, Heat, Yang, and Ruby looked at each other, before looking at me. We all nodded our heads, and my friends walk out to wait outside.

The moment the door was closed, Forest touched the door with his two fingers. A bright red sigil appeared on the door, and it didn't seem like it would leave anytime soon.

"... That's… A mantra, isn't it?" I asked.

Forest smiled at me in response. "Sharp kid, aren't yah? I see you've been learning how to use your Akashic Record."

"Speaking of which….. Long time no see, Mr. Abel."

"Yeah… good to see you alive as well. And I see that you've…. Met, our pain in the ass of the year."

I simply nodded.

"Yeah…. Sorry about that. You really shouldn't be involved with this, but apparently, life wanted to be an utter bitch."

"That's alright. They started to target Ruby anyway, whether I was a threat or not."

"So they have, just like the other worlds."

"... What…. Exactly happened in the other worlds?"

"What, the ones they decided to invade?"

"...Yes."

"Well, for starters, they killed Salem. Her immortality was god's curse. A powerful mantra, but a mantra indeed. It's not particularly hard to bypass it if you're a god."

"... Oh.."

"Yeah, and they replaced themselves as the new head of the whole….. Villainy operation. And unlike Salem, they were…. Much, much more dangerous."

"..."

"They had superior mantras and strength, on top of barely anything able to kill them. None of the worlds was safe once they entered, unless we intervened."

"... I see."

"... Team RWBY and JNPR all died when they fought the gods, and the world was destroyed. None of the souls of that destroyed world ever made it into the afterlife."

"Your world is at the same risk. And I'm sorry that you were swept into this."

"..."

I stood silent, I was feeling the pressure once more.

The pressure of danger.

Of imminent destruction.

…. So this is what Lovecraft felt.

"... So," I spoke up. "What now, what am I supposed to do?"

"Two options: you can either run and hide, away from this world, away from this terrorist group, or you can stand up, and fight against them. You can get stronger, and you can help us protect this world. And we'll protect you while you train."

"... Not much of a choice there, sir." I said with a smile.

"Then I guess it's settled," Ozpin concluded. "You three will also be going to Beacon, unless you want to object."

"... I know it's a school for huntsmen and huntresses, but how exactly is that school going to keep me safe from evil gods and demons?" I asked.

"Because I'll be working there as the newly established security," Atavaka, Or Forest, answered. "Along with my subordinates and colleagues, we'll be increasing our security there for other reasons anyway. You're just more reason to pay attention to the school's wellbeing."

"Well then. I'll see you at Beacon Academy, Mr. Valentine. Take care until then." Ozpin concluded.

Atavaka opened the room, and we saw Ruby and Yang leaning their head against the door, trying to listen in (and failing). They were startled when the door opened so suddenly, and fell to the floor. Heat and Vegas were simply leaning on the other side of the hall, waiting for our conversation to finish.

"Take care, Magenta." Mr. Abel said to me. "I'll see you again soon."

Mr. Abel stood up from his chair, and followed the other 2 adults out of the room.

"... So, what was that all about?" Ruby asked.

"Can't tell you."

"... Hmph, well you're no fun." Yang grumbled out.

Ruby simply crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks.

"Well, I need to get ready for going to Beacons. I'm sure you got in as well. Or at least, you will if you applied for it."

"Same here." Heat chimed in.

"Yeah, they came here to offer me a place there as a student, in fact."

" Oh thank god….. So….. I'll see you again soon. Stay safe, ok? Don't forget to tell us everything that happens when you get well, ok?" Vegas started to walk out the door.

"Yeah. sure. Remember, you're a target as well. Watch out." I answered.

"... Honestly?" Vegas spoke out. "Despite what happened, I don't regret it."

He gave me a smirk before he left.

"... You stay safe, like Vegas said." Heat repeated.

"You stay safe too. Sorry I dragged you guys into this."

"Bullshit. You never dragged us in, pal. We were all in this with you in the first place." Heat answered as he walked over to me and lightly whipped my shoulder with the back of his hand and followed after Vegas.

"Oh, you better tell us everything, like Vegas said."

"Ok, ok! What are you, a Parrot?"

"I'm your concerned friend, you ungrateful twat."

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever."

Heat flipped me the bird before leaving.

I couldn't help but snort out a laugh and return the favor until he got out of sight.

Yang and Ruby simply stayed blank as all of this happened.

"... Well, we'll see you in Beacon as well. Get well soon!" Ruby shouted as Yang simply smirked and waved her hand.

"Don't make my sister cry again, ok? Last chance, buddy."

"Yang!"

"... Yeah, yeah. I'll be careful this time."

"Hmph. Be careful, ok?"

"Yeah."

* * *

"You sure it's fine if you don't tell him?" Atavaka asked Ahura Mazda.

"Yeah, it's not for him to worry about right now."

"I know, but… I feel like we should tell him now, rather than when the fall of Vale starts."

"About the fact that there's something much more powerful than maidens and relics sealed underneath the schools of this world?"

"Yeah, I'm sure he'll meet them anyway, and get himself dragged into this further than before."

"Oh, he's knees deep in this shit already, and he got himself in it the moment he decided to fight back, to protect this world, and it's fate. So, I will tell him. It's clear that they'll take interest in Magenta as well. But right now, he's already busy trying to get used to the fact that those vile gods are after him and his friends. We don't need to pressure him any further with such heavy knowledge."

"... I see….."

"... There's a reason why I gave him the Akashic Record, Atavaka, more than just having enough karma and achievements to ascend to godhood. I didn't just give it to him because he was like those demigod heroes in myths and legends."

"..."

"... In fact, I think that he'll be the turning point in this shitty war between gods. The turning point to our 「Victory」."

* * *

_**Today's mantra beast compendium:**_

_**Wraith Crane**_

_**Type: Avian**_

_**Rank: D**_

_**Descriptions: Wraith Crane is one of the 2 possible ascended forms of the Preta Crane. Unlike Dharma Cranes, which are Preta Cranes that have purified themselves by gaining enough good karma, Wraith Cranes are the total opposite: They have ascended by committing great sins of cannibalizing on their own kind, and absorbing enough Vajra cores of Preta Cranes to ascend into a more horrific form. Also known as Rakshasha birds or Zhenniao, they have specialized in degradation and poison mantras and can cause active decay in buildings and targets.**_

_**Natural Wraith Cranes, despite being a much more serious threat than Preta Cranes, are still one of the weakest Mantra Beasts known to the Celestial beings.**_

_**Their nature and affinity mean that they are weak to Purification Mantras and other Vajras associated with the holy/serene aura.**_

* * *

**_Sup guys, happy April fools._**

**_My main goal is to get this fanfiction good enough to get a page on Tv Tropes, to see what other people think of my characters. Wish me luck, people._**

**_I also got a few things to announce._**

**_The first one, is art._**

**_I got a clear idea about how these characters and creatures look, and I feel like descriptions aren't enough to fully capture what they look like, so I'm deciding to make arts of them._**

**_Not too sure where I would put them (most likely Twitter/Tumblr or deviant art or some shit) but I'll decide that on the next update of this story._**

**_The second one is that I'm planning on writing a new story, on top of this RWBY one._**

**_It's a Yu gi Oh fan fiction where the protagonist was a normal Yu Gi Oh fan from a version of our world until Duel Monsters from the Duel Terminal stories started to invade their world._**

**_Fighting them off, the Protagonist ends up arriving in the Yu Gi Oh World (starting from GX), and starts to travel through the Yu Gi Oh worlds to stop the invasion of the Duel Terminal Monsters (It's basically Kamen Rider Decade type of story in Yu Gi Oh world). If you guys either like my style of story, or also a fan of Yu Gi Oh, try checking it out! I'll appreciate it._**

**_Alright, take care guys. Be safe._**


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